MLB Player News
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Brent Rooker DH | ATH
Athletics' Brent Rooker: Sets off ninth-inning explosion
Rooker went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in a 7-1 win against Texas on Wednesday.
The game was tied 1-1 entering the ninth inning, when Rooker unknotted the score with a two-run blast to left field. The Athletics tacked on four more runs later in the frame on a Lawrence Butler grand slam to secure the victory and move back above .500. Rooker had gone seven games without a long ball before Wednesday's blast, but he's been swinging an effective bat of late with three multi-hit performance across his past four contests. He's at a .258/.313/.508 slash line with eight homers, 17 RBI and 19 runs through 134 plate appearances on the season.
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Anthony Santander RF | TOR
Blue Jays' Anthony Santander: Starting to bounce back
Santander went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's extra-inning win over Boston.
Santander is finally starting to emerge from his early-season doldrums, going deep in two of his last three games. The slugging switch hitter still has work to do, however, as he's slashing .175/.258/.316 with four round trippers, four doubles, 12 doubles and nine runs scored through 128 plate appearances. Fantasy managers should stay patient with Santander, who should continue to see plenty of RBI opportunities while primarily batting third in Toronto's lineup.
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Kyle Schwarber LF | PHI
Phillies' Kyle Schwarber: Goes yard again Wednesday
Schwarber went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run and a walk in Wednesday's win over the Nationals.
Schwarber has now homered in back-to-back contests, racking up five RBI during this span. The star slugger has also recorded an extra-base hit in three of his past four outings. Despite not having a multi-hit game in his last 11 contests, Schwarber extended his on-base streak to 30 games to open the season.
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Andrew McCutchen DH | PIT
Pirates' Andrew McCutchen: Drives in go-ahead run
McCutchen went 1-for-3 with a walk and a two-run double in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Cubs.
McCutchen put the Pirates up for good in the seventh inning, when his double to center field off Brad Keller plated Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Bryan Reynolds. McCutchen has logged at least one hit in nine of his last 10 games, and over that span he has gone 13-for-40 (.325) with one stolen base, five runs scored, two home runs and seven RBI.
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Diamondbacks' Randal Grichuk: Picking up start Wednesday
Grichuk will serve as Arizona's designated hitter and No. 3 batter in Wednesday's game against the Mets.
Grichuk has essentially served as a pure short-side platoon player for Arizona this season, logging 35 of his 42 plate appearances against left-handed pitching. He'll replace Pavin Smith as the Diamondbacks' DH on Wednesday with southpaw Brandon Waddell in line to work in bulk relief for the Mets once right-handed opener Huascar Brazoban exits the contest.
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Pavin Smith RF | ARI
Diamondbacks' Pavin Smith: Out of Arizona lineup
Smith is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Mets.
The Mets have a right-handed opener in Huascar Brazoban, but southpaw Brandon Waddell is slated for bulk relief, so the left-handed-hitting Smith will take a seat. Randal Grichuk is in the designated hitter spot and batting third.
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Jorge Polanco 2B | NYM
Mariners' Jorge Polanco: Out again versus lefty
Polanco is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Angels.
The switch-hitting Polanco still hasn't been cleared to hit from the right side of the plate while he manages a side injury, though he told Adam Jude of The Seattle Times on April 16 that he's felt well enough to hit off a tee. Polanco will continue to hold down a regular spot in the lineup at designated hitter against right-handed pitching, but the Mariners will continue to shield him from lefties like the Angels' Tyler Anderson until he's 100 percent while swinging the bat from the right side. Cal Raleigh will replace Polanco as the Mariners' DH on Wednesday.
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Yordan Alvarez DH | HOU
Astros' Yordan Alvarez: Grabbing seat Wednesday
Alvarez is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Tigers.
Alvarez exited Monday's game with an undisclosed injury but was back in the lineup Tuesday, so this appears to simply be a routine day off. Jose Altuve is in the designated hitter spot Wednesday, while Zach Dezenzo will handle left field and bat eighth.
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Shohei Ohtani DH | LAD
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani: Flashes power, speed in rout
Ohtani went 1-for-4 with a walk, a solo home run, a second run scored and a stolen base in Tuesday's 15-2 win over the Marlins.
The 30-year-old superstar set the tone for the night when he ripped the first pitch he saw from Sandy Alcantara down the right-field line for a leadoff homer. It was Ohtani's first homer since becoming a new father earlier this month, but it hasn't been a distraction for him -- over his last 11 games, he's slashing .311/.415/.622 with three long balls, four steals, five RBI and 14 runs.