MLB Player News
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J.D. Martinez DH | NYM
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: One hit in return
Martinez (groin) went 1-for-3 in Friday's 11-3 loss to the Marlins.
Martinez has dealt with a groin/hamstring issue that's bothered him for much of the month, leading to multiple absences. With a doubleheader on tap Saturday, it wouldn't be surprising to see him only play in one of the two games. He's gone 4-for-17 (.235) in August while managing the issue, dropping his slash line for the year to .259/.312/.552 through 91 contests.
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Jorge Soler DH | LAA
Marlins' Jorge Soler: Swats two more homers
Soler went 2-for-4 with two solo home runs, an additional run scored and a walk in Friday's 11-3 win over the Dodgers.
Soler took Tony Gonsolin deep on the second pitch of the game and then repeated the feat with a leadoff blast in the third. Through 15 games in August, Soler's racked up seven homers and 11 RBI while primarily hitting out of the leadoff spot versus right-handed pitchers. He's up to a .245/.335/.515 slash line with 32 long balls, 67 RBI, 67 runs scored, 20 doubles and a stolen base through 116 contests. His career high of 48 homers from 2019 is likely out of reach, but he's still had an impressive year in the power department.
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Christian Encarnacion-Strand 1B | CIN
Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Cranks walk-off home run
Encarnacion-Strand went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in the ninth inning of Friday's 1-0 win over the Blue Jays.
The Reds and Blue Jays were locked in a scoreless tie with one out in the bottom of the ninth when Jordan Hicks hung a slider, and Encarnacion-Strand launched it 411 feet for the game's only run. It was the first walk-off hit in the 23-year-old's career, and Encarnacion-Strand now has four home runs in his first 28 big-league contests.
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J.D. Martinez DH | NYM
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Returns to lineup
Martinez (groin) will serve as the Dodgers' designated hitter Friday against the Marlins, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Martinez was a late scratch from Thursday's game against Milwaukee, but he'll return after just a one-game absence. The 35-year-old has been in a bit of a slump recently, slashing just .214/.353/.357 since the start of August.
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Andrew McCutchen DH | PIT
Pirates' Andrew McCutchen: Sitting Friday
McCutchen isn't in the Pirates' lineup Friday against the Twins.
McCutchen has gone 0-for-12 at the plate across his last four games, so he'll get a break Friday in order to regroup. Bryan Reynolds will take over as Pittsburgh's designated hitter and Ji Hwan Bae will move to the outfield in McCutchen's absence, allowing Liover Peguero to start at second base while batting seventh.
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Joey Meneses DH | NYM
Nationals' Joey Meneses: Career-high five RBI in win
Meneses went 2-for-5 with two doubles, five RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's win over the Red Sox.
Meneses put the Nationals on top 3-1 with a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning and added another two-run double in the sixth to further extend the lead. The first baseman racked up a career-high five RBI on the afternoon and raised his batting average to .283 on the season. Meneses has now recorded multiple hits in two straight games and three of his last four, scoring six runs over that stretch to go along with his five RBI on Thursday.
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J.D. Martinez DH | NYM
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Late scratch Thursday
Martinez (groin) was a late scratch from the lineup Thursday versus the Brewers, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Martinez was originally set to be in the lineup for the series finale, but he will now be on the bench. Martinez has been dealing with a hamstring/groin injury for multiple weeks, and it appears to have flared up again. Will Smith will take over at designated hitter and bat cleanup against Milwaukee.
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Mark Vientos DH | NYM
Mets' Mark Vientos: Goes on IL with sore wrist
Vientos was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday, retroactive to Aug. 16, with left wrist tendinitis, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.
Imaging scans taken Wednesday showed no structural damage, but Vientos will rest his wrist until at least late next week. Jonathan Arauz and Danny Mendick will likely share time at third base in his absence. Arauz is getting the start there in the Mets' series opener Thursday against the Cardinals.