MLB Player News
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Marcell Ozuna DH | PIT
Marlins' Marcell Ozuna: Not starting Sunday
Ozuna isn't in the lineup Sunday against the Braves, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.
After starting 22 consecutive games, Ozuna will have a well-earned day off. In that span he slashed .318/.394/.534 and hit five home runs. Tyler Moore will hit fourth and start in left field while Ozuna heads to the bench. The Marlins have Monday off, so Ozuna should return to the lineup Tuesday against the Phillies.
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J.D. Martinez DH | NYM
Diamondbacks' J.D. Martinez: Notches four hits Saturday
Martinez went 4-for-5 with an RBI in Saturday's 8-7 loss to the Padres.
It's the second four-hit effort in five games for Martinez, allowing him to bring up his average to .264 since he joined the Diamondbacks in mid-July. While a 30.6 percent strikeout rate over that same span would normally suggest that Martinez's average is unsustainable, the outfielder has run BABIPs above .340 in each of the past three seasons, which could be enough to keep his average fairly stable the rest of the way.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Dodgers' Joc Pederson: Starts consecutive games
Pederson started in left field and went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in Saturday's loss to the Rockies.
While he didn't produce anything at the plate, it is important to note that Pederson -- and not Curtis Granderson -- got the start in left field in what appeared to be the Dodgers' "A" lineup. It is also possible that manager Dave Roberts plans to rotate several options in left field now that rosters have expanded. Pederson owns an unsavory .211/.326/.406 slash line this season, so he wouldn't be more than a deep-league option for homer potential even if he did regain an everyday role.
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Byron Buxton CF | MIN
Twins' Byron Buxton: Homers during rebound from cold spell
Buxton went 2-for-3 with a solo home run Saturday in the Twins' 5-2 loss to the Royals.
The talented-but-erratic 23-year-old entered the day stuck in an 0-for-18 slide over his previous four contests, but Buxton recovered in a fine way, lofting his 14th home run of the year off Royals starter Jake Junis. He'll take a .249/.313/.407 slash line into Sunday's action.
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Matt Carpenter DH | STL
Cardinals' Matt Carpenter: Launches homer Saturday
Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo homer and a walk Saturday during the Cardinals' 4-3 win over the Pirates.
Carpenter is getting over a shoulder injury that hobbled him for most of the past week, and this is a good sign that he's back to normal and could deliver more power down the stretch. His .239 batting average has disappointed his fantasy owners, but Carpenter continues to reach base at an elite pace (.377), which keeps him in favorable territory for OBP leagues.
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Miguel Cabrera DH | DET
Tigers' Miguel Cabrera: Leaves yard in return from suspension
Cabrera went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer Saturday against the Blue Jays.
In his return from a six-game suspension, Cabrera launched his 15th bomb of the season to give the Tigers a two-run lead in the first inning of a game they'd go on to lose. Unless fantasy managers are willing to gamble on him getting hot over the last few weeks of the season, his .250./.334/.406 slash line has made him a tough player to trust this season.
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Giancarlo Stanton DH | NYY
Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton: Swats 54th homer Saturday
Stanton went 1-for-5 with a solo home run Saturday during the Marlins' 6-5 loss to the Braves.
He became the first player to slug 54 homers in a season since Jose Bautista did it in 2010. The blast was a 456-foot monstrosity -- the second-longest at SunTrust Park -- with an exit speed of 113.7 mph, per Statcast. The big-league leader is in a fine position to threaten 60 by season's end.
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Jesse Winker DH | NYM
Reds' Jesse Winker: Ready to return to action
Winker (hip) ran the bases again Saturday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "Now we're just getting the sign off that he can re-enter as an active player," manager Bryan Price said.
Winker remains on the disabled list, but it sounds like his return is imminent. With Billy Hamilton (thumb) on the DL and quite possibly out for the rest of the season, the door is open for Winker to see semi-regular playing time in the Reds' outfield. The 24-year-old has displayed a strong approach so far in the big leagues -- as he did in the minors -- batting .297/.402/.500 with a 13:15 BB:K in 87 plate appearances.
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Brad Miller DH | SD
Rays' Brad Miller: Not in Saturday's lineup
Miller is out of the lineup against the Red Sox on Saturday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
With Chris Sale on the mound for Boston, Miller retreats to the bench in favor of Danny Espinosa. Over the course of the month, Miller is just 2-for-17 at the plate.
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Miguel Cabrera DH | DET
Tigers' Miguel Cabrera: Back from suspension
Cabrera (suspension) is back in the lineup Saturday against the Blue Jays, playing first and batting third.
Cabrera served his six-game suspension over the past week, the result of his involvement in a brawl with the Yankees on Aug. 24. Prior to the suspension, Cabrera was just 3-for-30 over his past 10 appearances.