MLB Player News
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Justin Turner DH | CHC
Dodgers' Justin Turner: Takes seat for Game 2
Turner is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader in Washington, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Turner had started four straight games since coming off the disabled list earlier this week, but the Dodgers will play it safe and not give him the start in the nightcap. Max Muncy is starting at third base and batting second in his stead.
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Matt Carpenter DH | STL
Cardinals' Matt Carpenter: Keeps improving at plate Friday
Carpenter went 2-for-5 with an RBI single and a run in a win over the Phillies on Friday.
Carpenter was back in the two-hole Friday after having dropped down to seventh in the order the prior two nights. The struggling veteran's pair of singles extended a modest hitting streak to three games, a stretch during which he's gone 6-for-13 with three doubles, two RBI and a run. Carpenter has much work left to do to get a current .173/.301/.315 season line back up to acceptable levels, but his current mini-surge is an optimistic step in that direction.
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Brandon Belt DH | TOR
Giants' Brandon Belt: Enters game as pinch hitter
Belt (knee) entered Friday's loss to the Rockies in the seventh inning and struck out in his only plate appearance.
The red-hot Belt was held out of the starting lineup after experiencing knee soreness following Thursday's contest, but he was healthy enough to enter Friday's game in a key situation. While he was unable to extend his homer streak to five games, the fact that he stayed in the game to play left field indicates that his minor knee ailment shouldn't be an issue going forward.
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Charlie Blackmon RF | COL
Rockies' Charlie Blackmon: Hits 12th homer
Blackmon went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Colorado's 6-1 victory over the Giants on Friday.
Blackmon had been in a bit of a slump lately that saw his normally sky-high batting average dip all the way down to .267, but he launched a ninth-inning long ball off the Giants' Jose Valdez for his 12th of the season. The 1-for-5 showing meant his average went down to .265 despite the homer but he's still getting on base at a .373 clip and boasting a robust .543 slugging percentage despite the recent slump and Blackmon is one of the best hitters in baseball, so there's little reason to believe he won't see his average climb back up toward its usual heights in short order.
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Brandon Belt DH | TOR
Giants' Brandon Belt: Sitting out Friday
Belt (knee) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Rockies, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Manager Bruce Bochy indicated he was likely to give Belt the day off Friday after it was revealed the veteran first baseman was dealing with knee soreness, but he was still going to feel things out in batting practice. The 30-year-old will get an additional day to rest up before being evaluated again Saturday, with Buster Posey taking over at first base for the Giants on Friday.
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Ji-Man Choi 1B | NYM
Brewers' Ji-Man Choi: Heading back to majors
Choi will be recalled by the Brewers on Friday, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Choi somewhat surprisingly made the Brewers' Opening Day roster and scored the go-ahead run in the 12th inning on Opening Day but was sent down having received just one plate appearance. He's fourth on the organizational depth chart at first base, but with Eric Thames (thumb) and Ryan Braun (back) both on the disabled list, he could get a brief run of playing time, especially during this weekend's series in an AL park against the Twins.
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Brandon Belt DH | TOR
Giants' Brandon Belt: Dealing with knee soreness
Manager Bruce Bochy said that Belt is dealing with knee soreness following Thursday's loss to the Rockies, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The knee issue must have surfaced after the game, as Belt seemed fine during the contest, going 2-for-5 with his 10th home run and fourth in as many games. Bochy said he was planning on giving his first baseman the day off Friday in order to rest the knee, but he said he will see how the slugger feels during batting practice. The club's willingness to let Belt feel things out indicates that the injury may not be too serious.
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Justin Turner DH | CHC
Dodgers' Justin Turner: Drives in five Thursday
Turner went 3-for-4 with two doubles, five RBI and one run scored in Thursday's win over the Marlins.
It didn't take long for Turner to get things going at the plate, as the third baseman is now 6-for-13 (.462) with just one strikeout in three games since returning from the disabled list. Thursday's five-RBI effort was the first multi-RBI performance from a Dodger this month and is a solid reminder of what Turner is capable of doing when healthy. He'll look to stay hot at the plate as the Dodgers head to face the Nationals over the weekend.
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Franmil Reyes DH | WAS
Padres' Franmil Reyes: On bench Thursday
Reyes is not in the lineup Thursday against the Pirates.
Reyes has started both games since his promotion, going 1-for-7 in those appearances, but he'll head to the bench for Thursday's series opener with right-hander Chad Kuhl toeing the rubber for the Pirates. Travis Jankowski is starting in right field and hitting leadoff in his stead.