MLB Player News
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Mark Canha LF | TEX
Mets' Mark Canha: Retreats to bench Friday
Canha isn't starting Friday's game against the Padres.
Canha started the final two games before the All-Star break and went 1-for-7 with a double, two walks and a strikeout. Jeff McNeil is shifting to left field while Luis Guillorme starts at the keystone.
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Justin Turner DH | CHC
Dodgers' Justin Turner: Dealing with abdominal tightness
Turner was removed from Thursday's win over the Giants with abdominal tightness but believes it to be a minor injury, Sarah Wexler of MLB.com reports.
Turner went 1-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a run before exiting during the eighth inning Thursday. Manager Dave Roberts was unsure if the 37-year-old would be able to play Friday or if the veteran would need a day or two out of the lineup.
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Darin Ruf DH | MIL
Giants' Darin Ruf: Slugs first career grand slam
Ruf went 1-for-3 with a grand slam in Thursday's loss to the Dodgers.
LaMonte Wade began the game as San Francisco's designated hitter and leadoff man, but Ruf came in to replace him during an at-bat in the sixth inning. That plate appearance resulted in a strikeout, but Ruf made his mark in his following trip to the plate, slugging a game-tying grand slam to center field. The grand slam was the first of his career, per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. Ruf has now homered in three consecutive contests, pushing his total to 10 on the season.
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Brandon Belt DH | TOR
Giants' Brandon Belt: Crushes two-run homer
Belt went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional RBI in a 9-5 victory against the Brewers on Sunday.
Belt began on the bench Sunday with lefty Aaron Ashby on the mound and entered in the second inning once Ashby had departed. The 34-year-old delivered an RBI-single in the second and tacked on two-run homer in the sixth off bulk pitcher Jason Alexander. Belt has been scorching of late -- batting 10-for-20 with two doubles and two homers over his last six games -- and concludes the first half with a .243/.355/.426 line, eight home runs, 22 runs and 19 RBI in 52 games.
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Brandon Belt DH | TOR
Giants' Brandon Belt: On bench against lefty
Belt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
He'll be on the bench for the second day in a row with Milwaukee bringing another lefty (Aaron Ashby) to the hill for the series finale. Yermin Mercedes will step in at designated hitter for Belt, who has yet to return to first base since suffering a knee injury earlier this month.
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Christopher Morel 1B | MIA
Cubs' Christopher Morel: Back as leadoff hitter
Morel is starting in center field and batting first in Sunday's game against the Mets.
Morel sat in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader but will return for the series finale and last game before the All-Star break. The rookie has had a nice first half with an .814 OPS through 54 games, and he's chipped in nine home runs and eight stolen bases.
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Marcell Ozuna DH | PIT
Braves' Marcell Ozuna: Gets breather Sunday
Ozuna is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.
Ozuna will hit the bench for the second time in less than a week while he heads into the All-Star break amid a slump at the plate. Over his last eight games, Ozuna went 4-for-29, dropping his season average to .221. Atlanta will give Ronald Acuna a day out of the outfield and deploy him as the designated hitter Sunday in place of Ozuna.
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Darin Ruf DH | MIL
Giants' Darin Ruf: Homers in consecutive contests
Ruf went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Brewers.
Ruf opened the scoring in the sixth inning with a blast off Brewers starter Eric Lauer. This was Ruf's second straight game with a homer, and he's up to nine long balls on the year. The 35-year-old has hit safely in nine of 15 games in July, though he hasn't record a multi-hit effort since June 23. He's slashing .227/.336/.376 with 32 RBI, 41 runs scored and two stolen bases through 283 plate appearances. Ruf should continue to work his way into the lineup regularly versus southpaws.
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Christopher Morel 1B | MIA
Cubs' Christopher Morel: Not starting evening game
Morel will sit for the second portion of Saturday's doubleheader against the Mets.
Morel went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in the first game, dropping his OPS in his surprising rookie season slightly to .816. David Bote will handle second base in the nightcap.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Giants' Joc Pederson: Sits against lefty
Pederson isn't starting Saturday's game against Milwaukee.
Pederson will head to the bench after three consecutive starts since left-hander Eric Lauer is on the mound for the Brewers. Yermin Mercedes is starting in left field and batting fifth.