MLB Player News
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Pedro Pages C | STL
Cardinals' Pedro Pages: Smacks third homer
Pages went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Monday's 11-4 win against the Tigers.
Pages gave the Cardinals a 10-0 lead with a two-run shot to left field in the seventh inning. Though the second-year backstop was expected to get less playing time after Ivan Herrera returned from the injured list May 9, Pages has started behind the plate in four of St. Louis' past five contests while Herrera has served as the DH each game during that span. Pages hasn't exactly been swinging a hot bat, though, as he's batting just .205 through 12 games in May, with Monday's homer being his first during that span.
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William Contreras C | MIL
Brewers' William Contreras: Perfect day at dish
Contreras went 4-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, a stolen base and a walk in Monday's win over the Orioles.
Contreras knocked an RBI double in the fifth inning before hitting a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth. He also swiped second after knocking in his second run of the contest. After an 11-game stretch without a multi-hit performance, he's collected three over his last five appearances. The recent hot streak has bumped his OPS up from .655 to .741 across 189 plate appearances.
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Miguel Amaya C | CHC
Cubs' Miguel Amaya: Slugs homer, plates five
Amaya went 2-for-3 with a homer, a double, five RBI and an additional run scored in Monday's 8-7 loss to the Marlins.
The 26-year-old went yard for the fourth time this season with a three-run homer off Miami starter Edward Cabrera in the fourth. Amaya then returned in the sixth inning to knot the game at 6-6 with a two-RBI double, his ninth two-bagger of the season. Although Amaya is not the everyday catcher in Chicago, he has been a solid contributor at the plate when playing with a .287/.323/.529 slash line through 94 plate appearances.
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Patrick Bailey C | SF
Giants' Patrick Bailey: Absent from lineup again Monday
Bailey is not in the lineup for Monday's game versus the Royals.
It's the second straight day and the fourth time over the last eight contests that Bailey has yielded to Sam Huff at catcher. Bailey did deliver a game-tying, pinch-hit single in the eighth inning Sunday against the Athletics, so there does not appear to be anything wrong with him physically. The switch-hitting backstop has had a dreadful season at the plate, sporting a .489 OPS with a 31.8 percent strikeout rate.
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Carson Kelly C | CHC
Cubs' Carson Kelly: Getting night off
Kelly is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins.
Kelly had started at catcher or designated hitter in five of the Cubs' last six games, but he'll get a breather as Chicago opens its series in Miami. Miguel Amaya will get the nod behind the plate and Moises Ballesteros will serve as the Cubs' DH on Monday.
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Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Goes yard Sunday
Smith went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run during Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Angels.
Smith swatted a game-tying three-run home run with two outs in the seventh inning, but his efforts weren't enough to avoid the sweep. Smith also walked twice. In his last 15 appearances, Smith is 18-for-47 (.383) with nine RBI, seven runs scored and an 11:7 BB:K.
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Liam Hicks C | MIA
Marlins' Liam Hicks: Goes yard Sunday
Hicks went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in Sunday's 5-1 win versus Tampa Bay.
The Miami backstop stretched the lead to 5-1 with a 370-foot home run off Rays starter Shane Baz in the sixth inning. With this two-hit performance, Hicks is now riding a five-game hit streak over which he's batted .438 (7-for-16). The Marlins have been trying to find ways to work Hicks' bat into the lineup more often, as he's slashing .282/.352/.487 with four homers and 20 RBI through 90 plate appearances.
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Sean Murphy C | ATL
Braves' Sean Murphy: Out of lineup again Sunday
Murphy is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against Boston.
Murphy is sitting for a second straight game while the red-hot Drake Baldwin gets another start at catcher. Prior to Sunday, the pair had alternated starts behind the plate for each of Atlanta's previous eight contests. Baldwin has made it difficult for manager Brian Snitker to take his bat out of the lineup -- through 11 games in May, the rookie catcher is batting .556 (15-for-27) with three homers and eight RBI.
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J.T. Realmuto C | PHI
Phillies' J.T. Realmuto: Getting rest Sunday
Realmuto is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against Pittsburgh.
Realmuto will begin on the bench after starting each of the previous two days and going 1-for-7 with an RBI in that span. Rafael Marchan will get the start behind the plate in Realmuto's stead Sunday.