MLB Player News
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Austin Riley 3B | ATL
Braves' Austin Riley: Reinstated from paternity leave
Atlanta activated Riley (personal) from the paternity list Thursday.
Because of a pair of rainouts, Riley missed just one game while spending the maximum three days away from the team on paternity leave. He'll be back in the lineup for Atlanta's series opener Thursday against the Mets.
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Jake Burger 1B | MIA
Marlins' Jake Burger: Receiving Thursday off
Burger is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Orioles.
Burger will head to the bench after he saw his eight-game hitting streak come to an end with an 0-for-4, two-strikeout showing in Wednesday's 6-3 win. Emmanuel Rivera will spell Burger at third base in the series finale.
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Rafael Devers 3B | BOS
Red Sox's Rafael Devers: Serves as DH
Devers started at designated hitter and went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored in Wednesday's 20-7 loss to Colorado.
Devers, who was initially penciled in at third base, was moved to DH as a precaution after he survived a shoulder-injury scare Tuesday. He stayed in Tuesday's game following the incident and looked good swinging the bat Wednesday. With a team day off Thursday, Devers could return to the field for Friday's series opener at Fenway Park against the Yankees.
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Josh H. Smith 3B | TEX
Rangers' Josh Smith: Two hits, two RBI in win
Smith went 2-for-4 with two RBI in Wednesday's 10-2 win over the White Sox.
Smith singled in one run then got another home on a sacrifice fly. With news that third baseman Josh Jung (wrist) is set to begin a rehab assignment Friday, per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com, the Rangers will soon have to find a home for Smith's bat. The most logical move is to have Smith become the team's primary designated hitter. Texas designated hitters are last in the league in batting average (.197), slugging percentage (.310) and OPS (.573).
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Noelvi Marte 3B | CIN
Reds' Noelvi Marte: Plates two in win
Marte went 1-for-5 with a double and two RBI in Wednesday's 9-4 win over Atlanta.
Marte joined the Reds' party with a two-run double in the fourth inning. The struggling third baseman, who is batting .181 since he completed his 80-game PED suspension, has hit safely in four straight games (4-for-17).
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Eugenio Suarez 3B | ARI
Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suarez: Power surge continues
Suarez went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 8-6 win over Kansas City.
Suarez's second-inning blast gave Arizona an early lead and was the first of four Diamondback home runs. He's doing his best to put a season-long slump behind him; Suarez entered the month of July with six home runs and has hit that many over the last 14 games. During that span, he's knocked in 17 runs with a .692 slugging percentage and 1.014 OPS.
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Mark Vientos 3B | NYM
Mets' Mark Vientos: Pops 13th homer
Vientos went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional RBI in Wednesday's 12-3 win over the Yankees.
Vientos knocked in the first and last runs during the Mets' eighth-inning rally, opening the inning with a solo shot before adding a sacrifice fly. The infielder is batting .294 (20-for-68) with three homers and 10 RBI over 18 contests in July as he continues to hold down a starting role at third base. For the year, he's slashing .290/.345/.545 with 13 homers, 35 RBI, 30 runs scored, 12 doubles and no stolen bases over 220 plate appearances.
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Josh Jung 3B | TEX
Rangers' Josh Jung: Resuming rehab assignment Friday
Jung (wrist) will begin a rehab assignment Friday at Double-A Frisco, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
Jung had previously played in four rehab games with Triple-A Round Rock from June 16 through 20, only to be pulled off the minor-league assignment when he experienced renewed soreness in his surgically repaired wrist. Just over a month later, Jung is ready for game action again after he was able to make quick progress through his hitting progression over the past week. He'll presumably remain on his rehab assignment at least through the weekend before the Rangers assess whether he's ready to return from the 60-day injured list. Jung should eventually settle back in as the Rangers' everyday third baseman, but he could be eased back from the IL as a designated hitter initially.
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Santiago Espinal 3B | CIN
Reds' Santiago Espinal: Checks into lineup for nightcap
Espinal will start at second base and bat eighth in the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader versus Atlanta.
Espinal has now picked up just two starts in the Reds' six games since the All-Star break. He saw an uptick in playing time to close out the second half while Jonathan India managed a knee contusion, but Espinal has shifted back into a utility role now that India has seemingly moved past the injury.
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Ramon Urias 3B | BAL
Orioles' Ramon Urias: Back in starting nine Wednesday
Urias (neck) will start at third base and bat ninth in Wednesday's game against the Marlins.
Urias didn't start either of the Orioles' last two games while managing a stiff neck, but he came off the bench in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to replace Jorge Mateo (arm) and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. Mateo is out of the lineup Wednesday, so Urias will step back into the starting nine to fill the final spot in the Baltimore infield.