MLB Player News
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Martin Maldonado C | SD
Astros' Martin Maldonado: Homers in blowout win
Maldonado went 2-for-4 with a solo home run during Sunday's 17-4 win over the Tigers.
Maldonado swatted his 11th home run of the season in the seventh to put the Astros out front 7-0. He now has two home runs over his last three games and has an RBI in four of his last five. The 36-year-old is having another abysmal year at the plate, striking out at a career-high 34.2 percent rate and slashing just .183/.252/.329 with 27 RBI, 26 runs and a 24:114 BB:K in 333 plate appearances.
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Jonah Heim C | ATL
Rangers' Jonah Heim: Pops grand slam in loss
Heim went 1-for-6 with a grand slam in Sunday's 7-6 extra-innings loss to the Twins.
The fourth-inning slam was Heim's first extra-base hit in 11 games since he returned from a wrist injury. In that span, he's gone an awful 3-for-30 (.100) with a 2:8 BB:K, a dry spell that saw him on the bench Friday and Saturday. Heim has been one of the better offensive catchers in baseball this season with a .265/.322/.455 slash line, 15 homers, 74 RBI, 51 runs scored and a pair of stolen bases over 101 contests. Mitch Garver hasn't been bad either, and he could push for time behind the dish if Heim doesn't get back on track soon.
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Freddy Fermin C | SD
Royals' Freddy Fermin: Losing out on playing time
Fermin is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners.
Fermin seems to have moved into more of a part-time role of late, as he'll hit the bench for the third time in seven games while he's slashed a paltry .107/.129/.143 since Aug. 15. With Salvador Perez picking up more playing time behind the dish rather than at first base or designated hitter of late, Matt Beaty has been gaining more traction in the Royals' everyday lineup.
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Twins' Christian Vazquez: Resting Sunday
Vazquez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.
Vazquez will sit out the day game after a night game, affording Ryan Jeffers a turn behind the plate. After he entered the series versus Texas with a five-game hitting streak, Vazquez went 0-for-7 over his two starts against the Rangers.
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Shea Langeliers C | ATH
Athletics' Shea Langeliers: Resting Sunday
Langeliers is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox.
Langeliers will be getting a needed day off for the series finale after he started behind the dish in each of Oakland's last six games while going 5-for-20 with four home runs and a stolen base. Carlos Perez will handle catching duties Sunday.
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Ben Rortvedt C | NYM
Yankees' Ben Rortvedt: Gets Sunday off
Rortvedt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays.
Rortvedt will get a maintenance day after catching in the first two games of the series while going 0-for-5 with a walk against three strikeouts. Kyle Higashioka will step in behind the dish for the series finale.
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Yainer Diaz C | HOU
Astros' Yainer Diaz: Heads to bench Sunday
Diaz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Tigers.
Though Diaz is on the bench for Sunday's series finale, expect the Astros to find a way for him to stick in the lineup on a near-everyday basis. He had started in each of the last nine games, slashing .316/.350/.553 with five extra-base hits. Even with Jose Abreu having recently returned from the injured list, the Astros can keep Diaz's bat in the lineup by deploying Yordan Alvarez in the corner outfield more often or giving top catcher Martin Maldonado more frequent days off.
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Bo Naylor C | CLE
Guardians' Bo Naylor: Sits against lefty
Naylor is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.
The lefty-hitting Naylor will bow out of the lineup Sunday with southpaw Yusei Kikuchi toeing the rubber for Toronto. Eric Haase will handle the catching duties for Cleveland.
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Alejandro Kirk C | TOR
Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk: Losing work to Jansen
Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.
The Blue Jays' timeshare at catcher has been favoring Danny Jansen of late. Jansen will pick up his fifth start in seven games, while Kirk has received the other two starts at catcher during that stretch. Kirk's lack of usage comes while he's maintained a lowly .513 OPS through 15 games in August.
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Danny Jansen C | TEX
Blue Jays' Danny Jansen: Getting more work behind dish
Jansen will start at catcher and bat eighth in Sunday's game against the Guardians.
The Blue Jays' catching duties have been tilting in Jansen's favor of late. He'll be picking up his fifth start behind the plate Sunday in the Blue Jays' last seven games, while Alejandro Kirk has received the other two starts at catcher during that stretch. Jansen will form a battery with starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi in the series finale.