MLB Player News
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Manny Machado 3B | SD
Padres' Manny Machado: Starting at third base Friday
Machado (personal) was added to the active roster and is starting at third base for Friday's game against the Phillies, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Machado was placed on the paternity list Monday and ended up missing the Padres' last four games. What's notable about Friday's game is that Machado is starting at third base for the first time since getting surgery on his right elbow in October, while Graham Pauley serves as the designated hitter. Machado's return is a welcome one with rookie Jackson Merrill missing his second straight game due to a lingering groin issue. Machado is slashing .260/.324/.417 with four home runs and 12 RBI over 105 plate appearances to start the season.
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Matt Carpenter DH | STL
Cardinals' Matt Carpenter: Resumes swinging
Carpenter (oblique) took swings on the field before Friday's game against the Mets, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Carpenter had been shut down after receiving a PRP injection in his right oblique Monday. He will swing again before Saturday's game, at which point the Cardinals will decide whether or not to send the 38-year-old veteran out on a rehab assignment.
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J.D. Martinez DH | NYM
Mets' J.D. Martinez: Batting fifth in Mets debut
Martinez will start at designated hitter and bat fifth in Friday's game against the Cardinals.
It will be Martinez's Mets and season debut after he was sent to the minors for a while following a late-March signing. The 36-year-old will be given extra days off in the early going as he gets his feet under him, but Martinez will eventually be the team's everyday DH. He slashed .271/.321/.572 with 33 home runs for the Dodgers last season.
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J.D. Martinez DH | NYM
Mets' J.D. Martinez: Officially added to roster
The Mets recalled Martinez from Triple-A Syracuse on Friday.
Martinez had his Mets debut delayed a bit by a minor back issue, but he's ready to go now following five tune-up games in the minors. The 36-year-old went 6-for-19 with two doubles and a 2:2 K:BB in those contests. Manager Carlos Mendoza has said Martinez will not play every day right away, as the club plans to ease him into things as he faces major-league pitching for the first time since last October. Eventually, he will be the team's everyday designated hitter.
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Joey Meneses DH | NYM
Nationals' Joey Meneses: Three hits in Thursday's loss
Meneses went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Thursday's loss to the Dodgers.
It's the third multi-hit performance in the last five games for Meneses, who's started seven straight contests while batting .360 (9-for-25). The 31-year-old is still looking for his first homer of the season and has only two doubles, but with Lane Thomas (knee) on the shelf and Joey Gallo needed in right field, Meneses' playing time looks secure as he flips between first base and DH. On the season, he's slashing .257/.337/.284 with 10 RBI, but only two runs scored in 20 games.
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J.D. Martinez DH | NYM
Mets' J.D. Martinez: Will be eased into lineup
Martinez (back) won't play every day to begin his tenure with the Mets, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.
"We're not going to DH him every day," manager Carlos Mendoza said Wednesday. "He's going to need some days [off]. I'll sit down with him to put together a game plan because he's important. He's too valuable for this team, and we've got to take care of him." Martinez is expected to make his debut for the Mets on Friday and hit fifth behind Pete Alonso, but the 36-year-old's workload for the first week or two could be a bit less than what patient fantasy investors were hoping for.
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Charlie Blackmon RF | COL
Rockies' Charlie Blackmon: Resting in day game
Blackmon is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Padres.
He'll take a seat while the Padres and Rockies wrap up their series with a day game after a night game. With Blackmon on the bench along with Nolan Jones (back), Jake Cave and Hunter Goodman will occupy the corner outfield spots, and catcher Elias Diaz will get a day off behind the plate and will serve as the Rockies' designated hitter.
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Manny Machado 3B | SD
Padres' Manny Machado: Not starting Thursday
Machado (personal) is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rockies.
Since Machado has already spent the maximum three days on the paternity list, he needs to be activated Thursday, but the Padres have yet to officially announce the move. Even if the Padres add Machado back to the 26-man roster Thursday, he'll still be available only as a bench player before likely making his return to the lineup against the Phillies this weekend, when the team returns to San Diego. Jurickson Profar will serve as the Friars' designated hitter Thursday.
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Matt Mervis 1B | MIA
Cubs' Matt Mervis: Not starting Thursday
Mervis is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Astros.
Following his promotion from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, Mervis served as the Cubs' designated hitter in both of the ensuing two games, going 0-for-6 with three strikeouts between those contests. Though he'll retreat to the bench Thursday, the lefty-hitting Mervis will likely see the bulk of the starts at DH against right-handed pitching until the Cubs get Seiya Suzuki (oblique) back from the 10-day injured list.
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Andrew McCutchen DH | PIT
Pirates' Andrew McCutchen: Taking seat Wednesday
McCutchen is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Brewers.
McCutchen has gone deep in back-to-back contests, but he'll receive a day of rest Wednesday. Bryan Reynolds will get a turn as the Pirates' designated hitter, while Connor Joe and Edward Olivares will occupy the outfield corners.