MLB Player News
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Rafael Devers 3B | SF
Red Sox's Rafael Devers: Perfect from plate vs. KC
Devers went 4-for-4 with three RBI, one walk and a run scored in Saturday's 10-1 win over the Royals.
Devers put the Red Sox on the board in the third inning with an RBI double, and he proceeded to crack RBI singles in the fifth and eighth. It was the second time this season that Devers tallied four hits, and he has recorded at least one hit in seven of his last nine games, going 14-for-34 (.412) with one stolen base, two runs scored, one home run and 10 RBI over that span.
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Anthony Santander RF | TOR
Blue Jays' Anthony Santander: Working through shoulder injury
Santander is not in Saturday's starting lineup against the Mariners due to a shoulder injury, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Santander has been receiving treatment on his shoulder after crashing into the stands in a pursuit of a foul ball during Thursday's game against the Angels, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca. The outfielder will be out of the starting lineup for a second consecutive game as a result of his injury, but he could be available off the bench Saturday. George Springer will serve as the Blue Jays' designated hitter while Myles Straw, Daulton Varsho and Nathan Lukes start in the outfield with Santander out.
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Yordan Alvarez DH | HOU
Astros' Yordan Alvarez: Still not swinging bat
Alvarez (hand) is feeling better Saturday but has not resumed swinging a bat, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Alvarez has been on the injured list since May 5 due to a muscle strain in his hand. He's eligible to return Tuesday, though this update suggests that he'll almost certainly be sidelined beyond the 10-day minimum.
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Kyle Manzardo 1B | CLE
Guardians' Kyle Manzardo: Clubs ninth homer
Manzardo went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 6-0 win over the Phillies.
The 24-year-old slugger opened the scoring in the fourth inning by driving an Aaron Nola fastball 411 feet to straightaway center field. Manzardo is emerging as a desperately needed power source for Cleveland, and through 33 games he's slashing .221/.326/.504 with nine homers, 16 runs and 22 RBI.
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Anthony Santander RF | TOR
Blue Jays' Anthony Santander: Taking seat Friday
Santander isn't in the lineup for Friday's game against the Mariners.
Santander will get a breather during Friday's series opener after going 5-for-14 with a homer and four RBI during Toronto's previous series in Anaheim. His absence will put George Springer in the DH spot while Jonatan Clase picks up a start in left field, batting ninth.
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Royce Lewis 3B | MIN
Twins' Royce Lewis: Out of lineup Friday
Lewis is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Giants.
Lewis made his season debut Tuesday and started all three games against the Orioles, going 0-for-9 with one strikeout and one walk. He'll get a breather against Giants right-hander Jordan Hicks. Brooks Lee is making the start at third base and batting in the cleanup spot for Minnesota.
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Rafael Devers 3B | SF
Red Sox's Rafael Devers: Declines to play first base
Devers said Thursday that he declined a request from team management to play first base, Ken Powtak of MLB.com reports. "They had the conversation with me," Devers said through a team interpreter. "I don't think, for me personally, it's the best decision after they asked me to play a different position."
Alex Cora had previously indicated he wasn't even going to ask Devers if he would be willing to move from designated hitter to first base, and instead, the manager allowed Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to make the request. After a slow start to the season, Devers has been locked in at the plate since late April, going 18-for-47 with four home runs, four doubles, 11 RBI and eight runs scored over the last 12 games. Devers' insistence on not switching positions leaves Boston without a clear starter at first base in the wake of a season-ending knee injury to Triston Casas.
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Yandy Diaz 1B | TB
Rays' Yandy Diaz: Pops sixth homer
Diaz went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run Thursday against the Phillies.
Diaz slotted into the leadoff spot for the second straight game since returning from a hip injury -- both of which came against lefties. He popped his sixth home run of the season in the seventh inning, his third in his last seven games. Diaz now has a .174 ISO across 163 plate appearances, which would be good for the second-highest mark of his career.
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Justyn-Henry Malloy 3B | DET
Tigers' Justyn-Henry Malloy: Drives in four in doubleheader
Malloy went 3-for-5 with a double, a walk, four RBI and one run scored across both games of Thursday's doubleheader sweep over the Rockies.
Malloy got a rare start in right field in the day game, and he went 2-for-4 and with an RBI single in the third inning. He added a three-run double late in the nightcap. Malloy has mostly functioned as a short-side platoon option, sharing right field with lefty-hitting Zach McKinstry and Kerry Carpenter. Prior to Thursday, Malloy had gone 0-for-12 with three walks over his previous nine games. He's hitting .200 with one home run, 12 RBI, 10 runs scored and no stolen bases over 84 plate appearances.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Rangers' Joc Pederson: Multiple hits again
Pederson went 2-for-2 with a double and a walk in Wednesday's 6-4 loss to Boston.
Pederson recorded multiple hits for a second straight game and is a combined 4-for-5 with two doubles, one walk and an RBI in the first two games of the series with the Red Sox. It's just the second time all season he's hit safely in consecutive contests. He still has a way to go to dig out of an epic season-starting slump -- his average was .052 on April 22 -- but Pederson is batting .281 (9-for-32) over the last 12 games, and the bat is showing signs of life.