MLB Player News
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Nacho Alvarez Jr. 3B | ATL
Braves' Nacho Alvarez: Set as starter at hot corner
Alvarez will be Atlanta's starting third baseman for the rest of the season after Austin Riley (abdomen) underwent season-ending surgery, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
While manager Brian Snitker suggested that in the long run Alvarez might be better suited to a utility role, the 22-year-old will get a chance to change that impression over the final month-plus of the season. Through 91 plate appearances in the majors this year, Alvarez is slashing .247/.330/.309 with zero homers or steals, but he did hit 10 home runs and steal 10 bags with an .861 OPS over 64 Triple-A contests in 2024.
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Alex Bregman 3B | CHC
Red Sox's Alex Bregman: Gets aboard four times
Bregman went 3-for-5 with a double and a walk in Thursday's 6-3 win over the Yankees.
Bregman wasn't directly involved in any run production, but he still had a strong game from the No. 2 spot in the order. The third baseman went 0-for-7 with three walks over this week's two-game series versus the Orioles but bounced back Thursday. Bregman has hit well overall, batting .303 with a .926 OPS, 16 home runs, 24 doubles, 52 RBI, 49 runs scored and a stolen base through 82 contests this season.
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Jordan Westburg 2B | BAL
Orioles' Jordan Westburg: Out again but hopes to avoid IL
Westburg (ankle) remains out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Astros, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
He hasn't played since departing Monday's contest versus the Red Sox with right ankle discomfort. Westburg is considered day-to-day, and Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino expressed optimism Thursday that the third baseman can avoid the 10-day injured list. Jeremiah Jackson is occupying the hot corner and batting second in the series opener Thursday.
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Austin Riley 3B | ATL
Braves' Austin Riley: Undergoes season-ending surgery
Atlanta announced Thursday that Riley (abdomen) underwent season-ending core injury surgery.
Riley is expected to be ready for the start of spring training in February. The third baseman has been out since Aug. 2 and had been experiencing soreness in his abdominal area, and he was rehabbing to play again this year before suffering a setback this week. With surgery now in the rearview mirror, Riley's 2025 season is officially over, and he finished with a .260/.309/.428 slash line, 16 home runs, 54 RBI, 54 runs scored, two stolen bases and a 27:128 BB:K across 447 plate appearances. Now that he's done for the year, Riley will have missed a total of 112 games over the past two seasons.
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Paul DeJong SS | NYY
Nationals' Paul DeJong: Drawing fourth straight start
DeJong will start at second base and bat third in Thursday's game against the Mets.
DeJong will remain in the lineup for a fourth straight game, with the Nationals having faced two lefty starters and two righty starters during that stretch. Despite his recent usage, DeJong is likely to remain limited to a part-time role against right-handed pitching, as the Nationals are expected to continue deploying Luis Garcia at second base, Brady House at third base and CJ Abrams at shortstop for the majority of those matchups.
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Max Muncy 3B | LAD
Dodgers' Max Muncy: Takes swings off tee
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Thursday that Muncy (oblique) has started taking swings off a tee, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Muncy did not feel any soreness in his right oblique while swinging off a tee, as he continues to move in a positive direction with his recovery. It's not clear what the next step is for the third baseman, but he could be ready to take batting practice soon.
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Marcelo Mayer SS | BOS
Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Surgery deemed successful
The Red Sox announced that Mayer underwent a successful right wrist arthroscopy Wednesday, Lauren Campbell of MassLive.com reports.
After initially spraining his wrist in late July, Mayer had hoped that a cortisone shot plus extended rest and recovery time would be enough for him to heal up from the injury and return to action before the end of the season, but surgery was ultimately deemed necessary. Mayer has now sustained season-ending injuries in each of the last three years, as his 2023 campaign was cut short by a shoulder injury, and his 2024 season ended prematurely due to lumbar strain. The 22-year-old -- who previously suffered the same wrist injury in 2022 but avoided surgery -- will face a three-month recovery timeline from his procedure, putting him on track to be back to full health ahead of spring training. Mayer will likely need a strong camp to solidify himself as an everyday player for the Red Sox heading into 2026, after he produced a .228/.272/.402 slash line with a 30.1 percent strikeout rate over 136 plate appearances with Boston prior to being shut down with the sprained wrist.
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Kyle Karros 3B | COL
Rockies' Kyle Karros: Sitting out with back tightness
Karros is out of the lineup for Thursday's contest versus the Dodgers.
Karros will miss a second straight start while he deals with back tightness. He's considered day-to-day and will attempt to return to the lineup sometime over the weekend in Pittsburgh. Orlando Arcia will man the hot corner and bat eighth for the Rockies on Thursday.
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Josh Jung 3B | TEX
Rangers' Josh Jung: Sitting against fourth straight RHP
Jung is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Royals.
After starting at third base and going 0-for-2 in Wednesday's 6-3 win while lefty Noah Cameron was on the hill for Kansas City, the right-handed-hitting Jung will head back to the bench as the Royals send righty Michael Lorenzen to the bump for the series finale. Jung has now been held out of the lineup for four straight matchups versus righties and looks to have moved into a platoon role after slashing just .163/.217/.279 so far in August. Cody Freeman will draw the start at the hot corner Thursday, but super-utility player Josh Smith is more likely to occupy the strong side of a platoon at third base with Jung once right fielder Adolis Garcia (ankle) returns from the injured list.