MLB Player News
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Max Muncy SS | ATH
Athletics' Max Muncy: Goes yard Friday
Muncy went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 7-6 loss to the Blue Jays.
Muncy has been able to extend his run as a lineup regular while Jacob Wilson (hand) has missed the last three games. The homer was Muncy's fourth over nine contests in July and his ninth long ball of the year. The infielder is at a .224/.267/.410 slash line with 23 RBI, 17 runs scored and one stolen base across 195 plate appearances. Muncy may have to settle for a utility role when the Athletics are closer to full strength in the infield, though they could reassign him to Triple-A Las Vegas to receive more consistent playing time.
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Jordan Westburg 2B | BAL
Orioles' Jordan Westburg: Scores thrice Friday
Westburg went 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored during Friday's 5-2 win over the Marlins.
The 26-year-old infielder opened up the scoring Friday with an RBI single in the first inning and was later driven in by a Ryan O'Hearn double. Westburg smacked two more singles in the third and seventh innings, both of which also led to him coming across the plate. Since returning last Friday from a finger injury that kept him sidelined for five games, Westburg has now turned in three multi-hit performances and is 11-for-25 with three homers, seven RBI and nine runs scored.
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Nolan Arenado 3B | ARI
Cardinals' Nolan Arenado: Removed with sprained finger
Arenado was removed from Friday's game against Atlanta with a sprained right index finger, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Arenado injured the same finger toward the end of June, which caused him to miss the first two games of July. If he ends up having to miss more time, Thomas Saggese would likely fill in as St Louis' third baseman.
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Austin Riley 3B | ATL
Braves' Austin Riley: Pulled due to injury
Riley was removed from Friday's game against the Cardinals with lower-abdominal tightness.
Riley went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the fourth inning. The severity of his injury remains unclear, but if he's forced to miss any amount of time, Luke Williams would be the favorite to pick up reps at the hot corner.
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Noelvi Marte 3B | CIN
Reds' Noelvi Marte: Leaves yard in loss
Marte went 2-for-3 with a double and a solo home run during Friday's 3-2 loss to the Reds.
Marte delivered a great performance from the ninth spot in the batting order, scoring the first Reds run of the game with a homer in the third and setting the table for the team's second run with a double in the seventh before being lifted in the eighth inning. It's been a small sample size so far, but the 23-year-old has impressed at the plate, slashing .295/.344/.545 with five doubles, a triple, five home runs and 21 RBI in 26 games played this season.
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Ryan McMahon 3B | NYY
Rockies' Ryan McMahon: Notches three-hit performance
McMahon went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run during Friday's 3-2 win over the Reds.
It's been a struggle as of late for McMahon, who had just three hits to his name in July entering play Friday, but he doubled his output for the month with three hits, including a big two-run home run off of Chase Burns. The 30-year-old is slashing .214/.312/.382, on pace to be the lowest numbers since his age-23 season in 2018, and has 13 home runs and 28 RBI in 92 games this season.
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Nacho Alvarez Jr. 3B | ATL
Braves' Nacho Alvarez: Returns from IL
Alvarez (oblique) has been activated from the 7-day injured list and is part of Triple-A Gwinett's starting lineup Friday.
Alvarez has been sidelined since June 26 due to a strained oblique, but he's been cleared to return to game action. The 22-year-old is slashing .417/.580/.611 in 50 plate appearances with Gwinnett this season.
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Marcelo Mayer SS | BOS
Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Set to be primary second baseman
Manager Alex Cora said Friday that Mayer will get the majority of the playing time at second base moving forward, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
The 22-year-old's roster spot appeared in question with Alex Bregman (quadriceps) returning from the injured list Friday, but the Red Sox will keep Mayer in the majors and shift him to the middle infield. The rookie has seen most of his playing time thus far at the hot corner, but he has yet to get on track at the plate with a .234/.272/.421 slash line and 29.8 percent strikeout rate through 37 games. Mayer is starting at the keystone and batting seventh Friday versus the Rays.
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Alex Bregman 3B | CHC
Red Sox's Alex Bregman: Officially activated Friday
The Red Sox reinstated Bregman (quadriceps) from the 10-day injured list Friday, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.
The veteran third baseman will join the Red Sox to face the Rays this weekend for the final series before the All-Star break. Bregman missed seven weeks due to a quadriceps strain but is back without having gone on a rehab assignment, and he's expected to start two of Boston's final three games of the first half. He's at third base and batting second Friday.
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Matt Shaw SS | CHC
Cubs' Matt Shaw: Could get replaced at third
The Cubs may target third base help before the trade deadline, which would bump Shaw from a regular starting role, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Most of Chicago's regulars have hit well this season, but Shaw has been inconsistent. While the rookie has shown flashes of promise after a slow start to the year, he's still slashing just .200/.278/.283 through 230 plate appearances. Over the 23-year-old's last 20 games, that's dipped to .127/.219/.175. With the Cubs sitting in first place in the NL Central and realistically in the mix for a World Series this season, the front office may decide to shore up the hot corner in the short term, with the likes of Eugenio Suarez and Ke'Bryan Hayes as potential targets. A big addition at the hot corner would cut into Shaw's already diminished fantasy appeal this year, though he remains an intriguing long-term prospect.