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Matt Duffy 3B | TEX
Cubs' Matt Duffy: Handling near-everyday role
Duffy is starting at third base and batting cleanup Sunday against the Marlins.
After sitting out Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Marlins, Duffy is back in the lineup at the hot corner for the fifth time in six games. Manager David Ross has shown a willingness to rotate Patrick Wisdom between the two corner-infield spots and left field of late, which should allow all of Wisdom, Duffy and Frank Schwindel to hold down near-everyday roles for the time being. Duffy is batting .196 with one stolen base, zero RBI and seven runs since being reinstated from the injured list July 23.
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Patrick Wisdom 3B | SEA
Cubs' Patrick Wisdom: Getting Sunday off
Wisdom is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins.
Wisdom will take a seat for the series finale after he started each of the past three games at a different position (first base, third base and left field). Expect him to rotate among all three spots over the final month and a half of the season, though he should retain a near-everyday role while he continues to supply power. Wisdom owns an .870 OPS over 230 plate appearances on the campaign.
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Brian Anderson RF | ATL
Marlins' Brian Anderson: Plates four in win
Anderson went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run and an additional RBI in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Cubs.
Anderson's sixth long ball of the season came with two outs in the sixth inning and allowed the Marlins to overcome a 1-0 deficit. The third baseman will carry a four-game hitting streak into Sunday's series finale and will bat fifth for Miami.
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Jose Ramirez 3B | CLE
Indians' Jose Ramirez: Productive in Saturday's loss
Ramirez went 2-for-4 with an RBI triple, a double, a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in Saturday's 6-4 loss to Detroit.
It was a strong showing in both power and speed for the third baseman. Ramirez entered Saturday on a 1-for-15 slump prior to his multi-hit burst. He's slashing .252/.340/.525 with 25 home runs, 14 stolen bases, 69 RBI, 74 runs scored and four triples through 441 plate appearances. Ramirez will bat third and play third base again in Sunday's series finale.
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Nick Senzel 3B | LAD
Reds' Nick Senzel: Activated and optioned
The Reds activated Senzel (knee) from the 60-day injured list Sunday and optioned him to Triple-A Louisville.
Senzel had been playing regularly at Louisville after kicking off his rehab assignment July 30, appearing in 10 games while slashing .286/.316/.429 with four extra-base hits (three doubles, one triple). The 26-year-old picked up starts at both shortstop and center field with the hope of potentially filling a utility role upon rejoining the big club, but the Reds felt he was better served playing on an everyday basis at Louisville after his rehab assignment expired. The decision to keep Senzel in the minors is perhaps an indication of the former top prospect's shaky long-term outlook in the organization, as he hasn't met expectations over parts of three seasons in the big leagues while missing considerable time due to injuries.
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Ramon Urias 3B | STL
Orioles' Ramon Urias: Back in action Sunday
Urias (upper leg) is starting at second base and batting fifth Sunday against the Red Sox.
Urias has been dealing with soreness in his right upper leg throughout the week but will rejoin the starting nine Sunday. The 27-year-old sat five of the previous seven contests and went 0-for-6 with a walk in his two appearances.
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Eugenio Suarez DH | CIN
Reds' Eugenio Suarez: Back on bench
Suarez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.
Suarez will take a seat after he went a collective 3-for-25 with a home run and three walks while starting each of the past seven games, resulting in his season-long batting average plummeting to .173. He benefited largely from the Reds encountering a heavy stretch of left-handed pitching, but the struggling Suarez doesn't look as though he'll receive regular opportunities versus right-handed pitching following Mike Moustakas' recent return from the 60-day injured list.
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Rafael Devers 1B | SF
Red Sox's Rafael Devers: Blasts 29th homer
Devers went 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run and four RBI in Saturday's 16-2 rout of the Orioles.
He set the tone early with a three-run shot off Jorge Lopez in the first inning, part of a five-homer, 17-hit rampage by the Boston offense in support of Chris Sale during the southpaw's first big-league start in almost exactly two years. Devers had gone yard only once in his last 15 games, but on the season he's up to 29 homers and 89 RBI through 113 games, putting him within striking distance of career highs in both categories.
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Nolan Arenado 3B | ARI
Cardinals' Nolan Arenado: Knocks in four in win
Arenado went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, two-run double and a walk in Saturday's 9-4 win over the Royals.
After homering off Brad Keller on Aug. 7, Arenado went deep again off the Royals' starter Saturday. He then smacked a ground-rule double off Greg Holland in the ninth to cash two of his four RBI on the night. The Cardinals' third baseman has had a tough go of it in August, but in five games against Kansas City, he is hitting .316 with three home runs.
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Kevin Newman 3B | LAA
Pirates' Kevin Newman: Ties big-league record
Newman went 4-for-4 with four doubles, four runs scored and two RBI in a 14-4 win over the Brewers during the first game of Saturday's doubleheader.
Getting the start at shortstop and batting eighth, Newman tied the major-league record with four two-baggers in a game. The 28-year-old has been flashing some extra-base power in August, batting .333 (11-for-33) through 11 games with seven doubles, but on the season he's still hitting just .226.