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Ji-Man Choi 1B | NYM
Rays' Ji-Man Choi: Riding pine vs. lefty
Choi is not in Saturday's lineup against the Royals.
He will take a seat with a lefty (Kris Bubic) on the hill for Kansas City. Choi is hitting .105 with zero home runs in 12 games this month.
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Mark Canha LF | TEX
Mets' Mark Canha: On bench for matinee
Canha will sit for the afternoon portion of Saturday's doubleheader against the Phillies, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.
Canha will sit for the second consecutive game, but he won't be getting two off days in a row as long as he returns to the lineup for the nightcap. Tyler Naquin will handle left field in the first game of the day.
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Christopher Morel 1B | NYM
Cubs' Christopher Morel: Blasts home run Friday
Morel went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and two runs scored in Friday's 8-7 win over the Brewers.
Morel's sixth-inning homer, his 12th of the season, put the Cubs ahead for good in the high-scoring contest. The rookie also has nine stolen bases this year and a solid .790 OPS. He showed off his versatility by starting at shortstop Friday, though he's also played outfield as well as second and third base. Morel's had a strong debut so far, and he could be primed for a big 2023 campaign assuming he has an Opening Day lineup spot.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Giants' Joc Pederson: Hits 18th homer
Pederson went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in a 7-4 loss to the Rockies on Friday.
Pederson snapped his 36-game home run drought with a solo shot off Jose Urena to bring his team within striking distance after being down 7-0. It was Pederson's first home run since June 25. After struggling through July with a .133 average, Pederson is 11-for-32 (.344) in August. The 30-year-old outfielder is now slashing 254/.328/.500 on the season with 18 homers.
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Justin Turner DH | CHC
Dodgers' Justin Turner: Logs second steal
Turner went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Friday's 2-1 win over the Marlins.
Turner singled and scored in the seventh inning to get the Dodgers on the board, and he added his steal after reaching on a fielder's choice in the eighth. The 37-year-old hasn't done much since he was activated from the injured list Aug. 9, as he's hitting .206 (7-for-34) with four RBI, two runs scored and a 2:7 BB:K in his last nine games. The veteran has a .252/.326/.391 slash line with eight home runs, two steals, 58 RBI and 44 runs scored through 393 plate appearances. Despite the slump at the plate, Turner regularly alternates between third base and designated hitter, sharing both spots primarily with Max Muncy.
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Eloy Jimenez DH | TOR
White Sox's Eloy Jimenez: Nursing knee issue
Jimenez exited Friday's game against the Guardians after twisting his right knee and could be held out of Saturday's lineup, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
The 25-year-old suffered the injury on a swing during the eighth inning and was unable to finish the plate appearance. He went 1-for-3 with a double and a run in the contest. Manager Tony La Russa labeled Jimenez day-to-day, though the outfielder could be forced to sit out a game or two.
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Eloy Jimenez DH | TOR
White Sox's Eloy Jimenez: Exits with injury
Jimenez was removed from Friday's loss to the Guardians with an undisclosed injury, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
Jimenez came to the plate during the eighth inning and was in discomfort after swinging and missing at the first pitch, and he was unable to continue the plate appearance. The 25-year-old went 1-for-3 with a double and a run before leaving the contest, and his availability for Saturday's game remains up in the air.
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Jorge Soler DH | LAA
Marlins' Jorge Soler: Hitting in cage
Soler (back) took swings in the batting cage Friday at the Marlins' spring training facility in Jupiter, Fla., Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
Soler landed on the shelf with lower-back spasms just after the All-Star break, but the back issues have plagued him throughout the season. The 30-year-old will likely require a minor-league rehab assignment before rejoining the big-league roster, so he's likely still at least a couple weeks away from being reistated.
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Yordan Alvarez DH | HOU
Astros' Yordan Alvarez: Leaves due to illness
Alvarez was removed from Friday's game in Atlanta since he was feeling ill on the field, and he was transported to a local hospital to be evaluated, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Alvarez abruptly left the field with Atlanta up to bat during the fifth inning, so it makes sense he's dealing with an illness rather than an injury. It's unclear if the ailment will affect the slugger's availability for the remaining two games of the series.
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Yordan Alvarez DH | HOU
Astros' Yordan Alvarez: Exits Friday's game
Alvarez was removed from Friday's game in Atlanta with an apparent injury, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
The 25-year-old went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts before leaving the field during the middle of an at-bat with Atlanta at the plate during the fifth inning. It's unclear what prompted Alvarez's exit, and he should be considered day-to-day until more information is available.