MLB Player News
-
Cody Freeman SS | TEX
Rangers' Cody Freeman: Losing work to Jung at 3B
Freeman is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.
Freeman will head to the bench for a second straight game with Gavin Williams taking the mound for Cleveland. He's capable of playing multiple infield and outfield spots and should have a regular role versus left-handed pitching while the Rangers navigate a rash of injuries, but his playing time against righties figures to be limited.
-
Addison Barger SS | TOR
Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Heading to bench Sunday
Barger is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins.
Barger will hit the bench in what appears to be a routine day off after starting six straight games. The 25-year-old is in the midst of a lull at the plate, slashing just .140/.196/.233 with a solo home run and three additional runs over his last 13 contests.
-
Andy Ibanez 2B | LAD
Tigers' Andy Ibanez: Slams pinch-hit home run
Ibanez went 1-for-1 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Royals.
The veteran utility player gave the Tigers some breathing room in the eighth inning, when he appeared as a pinch hitter for Colt Keith and promptly delivered his fourth home run of the season. Ibanez has settled in as a bench option for Detroit, giving the team a right-handed bat to complement the left-handed Keith, who is often lifted when southpaws come in from the bullpen. Ibanez provides valuable depth for the Tigers, though his role doesn't carry much fantasy appeal.
-
Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B | CIN
Reds' Ke'Bryan Hayes: Extends hit streak
Hayes went 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Saturday's 10-1 loss to the Diamondbacks.
Hayes extended his hit streak to seven straight games and has reached base safely in 11 consecutive starts. It's an encouraging stretch for the third baseman, who got off to a slow start after joining the Reds at the trade deadline, batting .167 (5-for-30) over his first nine games in Cincinnati. Over the subsequent 12 contests, Hayes is slashing .378/.465/.649 with seven extra-base hits, three RBI and nine runs scored. While the improvement is welcome, past history suggests Hayes is closer to the hitter he showed during that initial stretch for the Reds.
-
Blaze Alexander SS | ARI
Diamondbacks' Blaze Alexander: Breaks out of funk
Alexander went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, two RBI and an additional run scored in Saturday's 10-1 win over Cincinnati.
Alexander broke out of a slump Saturday, contributing a run-scoring, ground-rule double in the first inning and a solo homer in the fifth. The infielder was 3-for-32 (.094) with zero RBI over the previous nine games. Since taking over the role as the team's primary third baseman, Alexander is slashing .247/.344/.481 with five home runs, four doubles and 11 RBI over 23 contests.
-
Mark Vientos DH | NYM
Mets' Mark Vientos: Continues surge with two homers
Vientos went 3-for-5 with two solo home runs in Saturday's 9-2 win over Atlanta.
The 25-year-old slugger had arguably his best game of the season Saturday, going deep in the seventh and the ninth innings to give him 11 homers and his first three-hit game of the year. Vientos has been swinging a hot bat over his last six games, going 9-for-24 (.375) with four homers and nine RBI in that span. The third baseman is starting to resemble the hitter who tallied 27 home runs across 111 games just a year ago.
-
Alex Freeland SS | LAD
Dodgers' Alex Freeland: Homers off bench in loss
Freeland hit a solo home run in his lone at-bat during Saturday's 5-1 loss to the Padres.
Freeland, a switch hitter, has largely been held out of the lineup versus southpaws, and that was true Saturday against San Diego lefty Nestor Cortes. Freeland ended up providing the Dodgers' lone run -- and second and final hit -- when he went yard off Jeremiah Estrada as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning. This was Freeland's second homer in as many days and his fifth extra-base hits over his last six contests. The young infielder is batting .241 with a .776 OPS, six RBI, 10 runs scored and a stolen base through 70 plate appearances.
-
Matt Chapman 3B | SF
Giants' Matt Chapman: Swipes bag in return
Chapman went 0-for-3 with two walks, a run scored and a stolen base in Saturday's 7-1 win over the Brewers.
Chapman went hitless in his return from a 10-day stint on the injured list but recorded his first stolen base since June 8. The third baseman has struggled since the All-Star break, hitting just .198 with four homers, 13 RBI and 12 runs scored over 24 games. On the season, he's slashing .227/.338/.420 with 16 home runs, 44 RBI, 54 runs scored and eight steals across 408 plate appearances.
-
Caleb Durbin 3B | MIL
Brewers' Caleb Durbin: Drives in team's lone run
Durbin went 1-for-3 with an RBI double during Saturday's 7-1 loss to San Francisco.
Durbin supplied the Brewers' only run Saturday on an RBI double to right field in the second inning. It broke a four-game hitless streak for Durbin, who got the start at second base and could be seeing more time at the keystone if Brice Turang is out for an extended period of time while nursing a wrist injury.
-
Royce Lewis 3B | MIN
Twins' Royce Lewis: Smacks late home run
Lewis went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 7-3 loss to the White Sox.
Lewis struck out in each of his first three plate appearances, but he managed to get on the board in the eighth inning on a blast to left-center field. Lewis is now up to eight home runs on the season, three of which have come over his last six games, during which he's gone 7-for-22 (.318) with one steal, five runs and seven RBI.