MLB Player News
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Jonah Heim C | ATH
Athletics' Jonah Heim: Launches clutch homer off bench
Heim went 1-for-1 with a two-run home run in Friday's extra-inning win over the Angels.
Pinch hitting for Colby Thomas at designated hitter with the Athletics down to their final out in the ninth inning, Heim delivered a towering, two-run homer to tie the game and force an extra inning. It marked his sixth long ball of the season. The veteran backstop faces an uphill battle for regular playing time behind Shea Langeliers, but Heim has been productive enough at the plate to earn starts in four of the past seven games between catcher and designated hitter. In June, the switch hitter has gone 12-for-29 (.414) with four homers, two doubles, five RBI and five runs scored across 11 games.
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Tyler Stephenson C | CIN
Reds' Tyler Stephenson: Getting breather Saturday
Stephenson isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees.
After going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts Friday night, Stephenson will get a break during Saturday's day game. Jose Trevino will start behind the plate and bat eighth.
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Logan O'Hoppe C | LAA
Angels' Logan O'Hoppe: Launches three-run homer Friday
O'Hoppe went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run, an additional run scored and a walk in Friday's loss to the Athletics.
O'Hoppe went hitless Thursday in the series opener, but he bounced back admirably Friday with his fourth long ball of the season. This was his fourth multi-hit effort over his last eight games, and the backstop is hitting .341 with two homers and a .924 OPS across 14 games since the beginning of June.
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Dillon Dingler C | DET
Tigers' Dillon Dingler: Three more hits in win
Dingler went 3-for-4 with two runs scored in Friday's 4-3 win over the White Sox.
Dingler continued his scorching-hot June with another multi-hit performance, his sixth in his last 10 games. In 15 contests overall this month, the Detroit backstop is slashing .377/.403/.738 with five home runs, 15 runs scored and 17 RBI. The strong start to the season has established Dingler as one of the top catchers for fantasy leagues.
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Victor Caratini C | MIN
Twins' Victor Caratini: Pops homer in Friday's loss
Caratini went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and two walks in Friday's 9-5 loss to the Diamondbacks.
Caratini has homered three times over 12 games in June. He's batting .389 (14-for-36) this month, including six extra-base hits, seven RBI and a 5:5 BB:K. The veteran catcher is now hitting .231 with a .677 OPS, five homers, 26 RBI, 14 runs scored, five doubles and no stolen bases through 204 plate appearances this season.
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Carson Kelly C | CHC
Cubs' Carson Kelly: Collects six RBI in blowout win
Kelly went 2-for-4 with a home run, six RBI and three runs scored in Friday's 16-2 win over Toronto.
It was a banner day for Kelly, whose six RBI doubled the total from his previous 23 games combined. The veteran backstop clubbed a grand slam in the opening frame, worked a bases-loaded walk in the sixth and followed up with an RBI infield single in the seventh. Kelly is batting .281 with a double, two home runs, nine RBI and seven runs scored over his past 10 contests.
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Adley Rutschman C | BAL
Orioles' Adley Rutschman: Out of lineup Friday
Rutschman (head) isn't in the lineup for Friday's game against the Dodgers, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Rutschman will take a day to recover after getting hit in the head by a bad throw while running to first base in the ninth inning of Thursday's game. Samuel Basallo will fill in behind the plate, moving Taylor Ward into the DH spot and giving Jeremiah Jackson a start in left field.
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Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Won't return this weekend
Manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Smith (neck) will not be activated from the injured list over the weekend, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Smith is slated to receive a cortisone injection in his neck, which will keep him on the shelf beyond the 10-day minimum. The Dodgers will wait to see how he responds to treatment before deciding whether to have him travel with the team during the upcoming road trip, at which point more will be known about the 31-year-old's return timeline.
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Austin Wells C | NYY
Yankees' Austin Wells: Homers twice in rehab game
Wells (head) went 2-for-5 with two homers and three RBI in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday.
This was Wells' second rehab game after he landed on the 10-day IL due to cervical headaches June 6. Given his performance Thursday, the backstop appears to be feeling much better. Per Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Thursday that the team hasn't yet made a decision on when Wells will return to the big-league club, but that could happen at some point this weekend.
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Joey Bart C | ATL
Braves' Joey Bart: Activated from injured list
Atlanta activated Bart (foot) from the 10-day injured list Friday.
Bart was acquired via trade from the Pirates on Thursday and is ready to return from the foot infection that's shelved him since mid-May. The 29-year-old will serve as Atlanta's No. 2 catcher behind Drake Baldwin.