MLB Player News
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Darin Ruf DH | MIL
Giants' Darin Ruf: Homers off bench
Ruf went 1-for-1 with a two-run homer and a walk in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Cardinals.
Ruf entered the game in the sixth as a replacement for LaMonte Wade who had to be taken out due to a left hand strain. The 34-year-old Ruf walked his first time up and then clobbered a 427-foot home run to center to give the Giants some breathing room and put them up 5-2 in the eighth. He now has two home runs in the first week of July after missing most of June with a right hamstring strain. Ruf continues to be a viable depth option for manager Gabe Kapler this season, slashing .259/.396/.537 with eight homers, 20 RBI, 22 runs scored, a steal and a 23:38 BB:K over 134 plate appearances.
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Justin Turner DH | CHC
Dodgers' Justin Turner: Launches 14th homer
Turner went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 9-6 loss to the Marlins.
He took Ross Detwiler deep in the third inning, one of three Dodger long balls in the frame. Turner is red hot right now, batting .410 (25-for-61) over his last 17 games to push his slash line on the year to .303/.393/.493 with 14 homers and 45 RBI through 81 contests.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Cubs' Joc Pederson: Productive from leadoff spot
Pederson went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's win over the Phillies.
Pederson had gone hitless in five straight games coming into Tuesday's contest but he's now strung together consecutive two-hit performances. The outfielder has always been a bit of a streaky performer, and the 43-44 Cubs are going to need him to get hot if they want to push themselves back into the NL Central race.
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Andrew McCutchen DH | TEX
Phillies' Andrew McCutchen: Goes deep again
McCutchen went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run Wednesday against the Cubs.
McCutchen provided the majority of Philadelphia's offense for the evening with a two-run blast in the sixth inning. It was his 15th home run of the season and second in as many games. Though he's hitting only .233 on the campaign, McCutchen has a .351 on-base percentage and has scored 46 runs while driving in 48 across 79 contests.
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Andrew McCutchen DH | TEX
Phillies' Andrew McCutchen: Sets tone with grand slam
McCutchen went 1-for-5 with a grand slam in Tuesday's 15-10 win over the Cubs.
McCutchen's slam came in the first inning as the Phillies' offense got to Jake Arrieta quickly in the contest. In the seventh inning, McCutchen was replaced by Luke Williams in left field, likely to get the former some rest in his second game back from oblique soreness. The 34-year-old is up to 14 homers, 46 RBI, 45 runs scored, six stolen bases and a .792 OPS through 324 plate appearances.
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Bryce Harper DH | PHI
Phillies' Bryce Harper: Monster performance Tuesday
Harper went 5-for-6 with a home run, a double, four RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday's 15-10 win over the Cubs.
His three-run homer in the seventh inning was the first of his 15 long balls to come with runners on base this year. Harper also had a ground rule double in the fourth. The outfielder's big performance lifted his slash line to .282/.386/.529 through 267 plate appearances. He's added 30 RBI, 44 runs scored and seven stolen bases.
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Jesse Winker DH | NYM
Reds' Jesse Winker: Gets breather Tuesday
Winker is not in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against Kansas City, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.
Winker will get a chance to reset after going hitless across his last 14 at-bats. Aristides Aquino, Shogo Akiyama and Tyler Naquin will align the Reds' outfield from left to right as Nick Castellanos serves as the DH.
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Alex Dickerson DH | ATL
Giants' Alex Dickerson: Homers as pinch hitter
Dickerson hit a solo home run in his only at-bat during Monday's 5-3 loss to St. Louis.
The outfielder got San Francisco on the board with his eighth-inning blast off St. Louis reliever Giovanny Gallegos. The lefty-hitting Dickerson remains in a strong-side platoon role in left field, with Darin Ruf and Austin Slater most likely to draw in against southpaws, although Thairo Estrada got the start Monday. Dickerson is slashing .233/.303/.421 with eight home runs, 24 RBI, 20 runs scored and a stolen base through 175 plate appearances.
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Andrew McCutchen DH | TEX
Phillies' Andrew McCutchen: Posts three hits Monday
McCutchen (oblique) went 3-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored in Monday's 13-3 win over the Cubs.
It appears the oblique soreness that forced the outfielder from Sunday's contest was a minor issue. McCutchen put an end to a 2-for-18 skid with the three-hit showing Monday. He's slashing .234/.354/.433 with 13 home runs, 42 RBI, 44 runs scored and six stolen bases through 319 plate appearances this year.
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Matt Carpenter DH | STL
Cardinals' Matt Carpenter: Collects two RBI
Carpenter went 1-for-2 with a two-RBI triple and a walk during Monday's 5-3 win at San Francisco.
The veteran infielder brought home the first runs of the contest during the seventh inning with a two-run triple, which is his first three-bagger of the season. Carpenter has a .182/.314/.311 slash line with three homers, 19 RBI and 12 runs in 159 plate appearances this season.