MLB Player News
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Nelson Velazquez RF | KC
Royals' Nelson Velazquez: Heads to bench Thursday
Velazquez is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Blue Jays.
With the Royals looking to give Vinnie Pasquantino a day out of the field and Salvador Perez a day off behind the plate in the series finale, Velazquez will be a casualty from the Kansas City lineup. Pasquantino will serve as the Royals' designated hitter in Velazquez's stead, while Perez takes over Pasquantino's usual spot at first base.
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Masataka Yoshida LF | BOS
Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Absent from lineup again
Yoshida is out of the lineup for Thursday's game in Cleveland.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora insisted prior to Wednesday's game against the Guardians that Yoshida was still the team's everyday designated hitter. However, he's now out of the lineup for a third straight contest and for the sixth time in eight games, with all but one of those absences coming versus righties. Rafael Devers will start at DH again Thursday as he comes back from a knee issue, and Yoshida presumably will be back in the lineup once Devers is ready to return to third base. Clearly, the club has little faith in Yoshida's glove, as he's played just one inning in left field this season.
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Estevan Florial LF | CLE
Guardians' Estevan Florial: Taking seat Thursday
Florial is out of the lineup for Thursday's tilt against the Red Sox.
Florial had started four of the previous five games versus right-handers but will take a seat Thursday against righty Chase Anderson. Jose Ramirez will get a day out of the infield and serve as the Guardians' designated hitter Thursday while Florial is on the bench.
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Brent Rooker DH | ATH
Athletics' Brent Rooker: Accounts for team's offense in loss
Rooker went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run and two walks in a loss to the Yankees on Wednesday.
The veteran uncorked a 418-foot shot to left field off Clarke Schmidt in the sixth inning for the Athletics' only runs of the day. The homer was Rooker's third in the last six games; however, as impressive as that power surge is, the trio of long balls are the only hits he's generated over the 22 plate appearances he's logged in that span, and his stellar .532 slugging percentage is offset by a .191 average and .283 on-base percentage.
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Wyatt Langford OF | TEX
Rangers' Wyatt Langford: Logs three-hit night in win
Langford went 3-for-3 with a walk, double and run scored in Wednesday's 5-1 win over Seattle.
The three-hit performance was the first of the season for Langford. The double was just his fourth extra-base hit over 88 at-bats (.318 slugging, .057 ISO), but the rookie outfielder is getting on base with consistency (.340 OBP, 10.2% walk rate). He's reached base safely in 19 of 23 games and is hitting .261 with a .658 OPS to open his MLB career.
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Masataka Yoshida LF | BOS
Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Still viewed as everyday DH
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said prior to Wednesday's 8-0 win over the Guardians that Yoshida is still viewed as the team's primary designated hitter, despite being on the bench for two straight matchups with right-handed starting pitchers, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. "He's an everyday DH, man," Cora said of Yoshida. "I don't know what the big deal is. [Tyler] O'Neill had to DH [on Tuesday]. [Rafael Devers] had to DH [on Wednesday]."
Yoshida's consecutive absences from the lineup created some question regarding whether the 30-year-old was still viewed as an everyday player after struggling to a .250/.333/.375 slash line through the Red Sox's first 24 games of the season, but Cora dispelled the notion that Yoshida's role was being downsized. The skipper noted that the Red Sox's injury situation was largely responsible for Yoshida being excluded from the lineup, as O'Neill was limited to DH duties when he came off the 7-day injured list ahead of Tuesday's 4-1 loss, and Devers was eased back in as a DH on Wednesday after having not played in a week due to a bone bruise in his left knee. O'Neill returned to his usual spot in left field Wednesday, but Devers may need another day or two as a DH before the Red Sox clear him to play third base. Since the Red Sox aren't keen on having Yoshida play in the corner outfield, he could miss out on more starts until Devers is back at third base on a full-time basis.
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Justin Turner 1B | SEA
Blue Jays' Justin Turner: Gets maintenance day
Turner is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Royals.
Turner's absence from the lineup looks to be nothing more than a routine maintenance day after the 39-year-old had started in each of the Blue Jays' last nine games. Daniel Vogelbach will fill in for Turner as Toronto's designated hitter.
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Estevan Florial LF | CLE
Guardians' Estevan Florial: Gets second straight start
Florial will serve as the Guardians' designated hitter and No. 7 batter in Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.
Florial will get his second straight start against a right-handed starting pitcher (Cooper Criswell) after he went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and an RBI in Tuesday's 4-1 win. The 26-year-old looks to be gaining traction as Cleveland's primary designated hitter.
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Masataka Yoshida LF | BOS
Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Out against right-hander again
Yoshida is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
Yoshida didn't start Tuesday, either, but Red Sox manager Alex Cora had indicated the 30-year-old would be back in the lineup Wednesday. That's not the case, as the lefty-hitting Yoshida is sitting out a second straight contest against a right-hander. According to Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican, Cora hasn't provided clarity whether Yoshida is dealing with an injury or is simply being held out of the lineup for performance-related reasons, as Yoshida is slashing just .250/.333/.375 over 21 contests this season. Rafael Devers will serve as Boston's designated hitter Wednesday while Yoshida remains on the bench.
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Miguel Sano 3B | LAA
Angels' Miguel Sano: Draws another start at third base
Sano will start at third base and bat cleanup in Wednesday's game against the Orioles, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
Sano will make his seventh straight start Wednesday, including his fourth in a row at the hot corner. With Anthony Rendon () on the injured list, Sano looks as though he'll handle an everyday role at third base, at least while he continues to hold his own at the plate. Though Sano hasn't provided much in the way of counting stats through his first 19 games of the season (one home run, eight runs and five RBI), he's hitting .281 and getting on base at a .373 clip.