MLB Player News
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Jorge Soler DH | LAA
Angels' Jorge Soler: Resting Monday
Soler is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Mets.
Soler will get his second day off in the Angels' first four games of the second half after he went 3-for-8 with a solo home run and two walks during the team's three-game series in Philadelphia over the weekend. LaMonte Wade will cover right field in Soler's stead.
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Anthony Santander RF | TOR
Blue Jays' Anthony Santander: Weeks away from swinging
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Monday that Santander (shoulder) isn't expected to resume swinging a bat for at least a couple more weeks, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Schneider noted that he's hopeful Santander will play again this season, but the 30-year-old clearly hasn't progressed as well as the Blue Jays had hoped since he was placed on the injured list May 30 due to left shoulder inflammation. Even if Santander is cleared to ramp up his hitting progression within the next few weeks, he's still likely to require an extended minor-league rehab assignment after that. With that in mind, a mid-to-late-August return may represent a best-case scenario for Santander, and the uncertainty of his timeline makes him difficult to warrant stashing in most redraft leagues that have limited injured reserve spots.
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Starling Marte DH | NYM
Mets' Starling Marte: Expected back this week
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Monday that he expects Marte (knee) to be activated from the 10-day injured list later this week, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Marte will need a few more days to recover from a right knee bruise, but he will bypass a rehab assignment and appears likely to be back when the Mets begin a road trip this weekend. Upon his return, Marte will see some playing time in the designated hitter slot, with perhaps most of it coming against left-handed pitching.
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Ben Rice C | NYY
Yankees' Ben Rice: Out against right-hander
Rice is absent from the lineup for Monday's game in Toronto.
Rice had started each of the last four games against right-handed pitching, but he'll begin Monday's contest on the bench as the Blue Jays send righty Kevin Gausman to the hill. The Yankees will go with Paul Goldschmidt at first base, Austin Wells at catcher and Giancarlo Stanton at designated hitter.
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Trenton Brooks DH | SD
Padres' Trenton Brooks: Idle against righty
Brooks is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins.
The left-handed-hitting Brooks was on the bench for the final two games of the Padres' series in Washington over the weekend while the Nationals sent lefties to the hill, but he'll be absent from the lineup Monday versus Marlins righty Eury Perez. Since getting called up from Triple-A El Paso on June 15, Brooks is slashing just .158/.200/.289 over 40 plate appearances, and he could soon be at risk of losing his roster spot.
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Starling Marte DH | NYM
Mets' Starling Marte: Taking batting practice
Marte (knee) is taking batting practice, and the Mets still anticipate that he'll return from the injured list before the end of July, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.
The 36-year-old hasn't recovered from a knee bruise quite as quickly as the team had hoped, but Marte isn't expected to miss too much more time. Through 188 plate appearances on the season, he's slashing .270/.353/.387 with four homers, five steals, 20 RBI and 22 runs.
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George Springer RF | TOR
Blue Jays' George Springer: Mashes 17th homer
Springer went 2-for-4 with a double, a solo home run and a second run scored in Sunday's win over the Giants.
The veteran outfielder has come out flying after the All-Star break, racking up six hits in the three-game set against San Francisco. Springer's fifth-inning long ball off former teammate Robbie Ray was his 17th homer of the season, and through 15 contests in July, he's slashing a blistering .351/.413/.702 with six home runs, three steals, 13 runs and 14 RBI.
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Luke Keaschall 2B | MIN
Twins' Luke Keaschall: Three hits through three rehab games
Keaschall (forearm) served as a designated hitter in three rehab games for Triple-A St. Paul from Friday through Sunday, going 3-for-12 with three walks, two stolen bases, one run and one RBI.
Keaschall took part in his first game action since April 25, when he sustained a fractured right forearm that disrupted what had been an impressive start to his time in the big leagues. The rookie fared well in his return to the field this weekend, but since the Twins still want him to play second base and potentially get exposure to other positions during his time at St. Paul, he's expected to be in store for a lengthier rehab assignment, per Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Keaschall produced a 1.064 OPS in 26 plate appearances in the majors prior to landing on the injured list, and if he continues to rake during his assignment, the Twins will likely find ways to get his bat in the lineup once he's activated.
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Marcell Ozuna DH | ATL
Braves' Marcell Ozuna: Says he's over hip issue
Ozuna said after Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Yankees that he's no longer bothered by the sore hip that was affecting his performance earlier in the season, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. "It was my hip earlier this season, but now I feel fantastic," Ozuna said. "I just lost my confidence at the plate. I just lost my timing, and that's what I've been battling. As soon as I get my timing back, everything's coming like last year and the year before."
The veteran slugger has lost his regular spot in the starting lineup while Atlanta has been using either Sean Murphy or Drake Baldwin at designated hitter on their non-catching days, and Ozuna's .139/.262/.333 slash line through 42 plate appearances in July, including an 0-for-4 effort Sunday, doesn't make much of a case for him to regain his job. He also acknowledged the trade rumors surrounding him as the team's playoff odds continue to shrink, but Ozuna didn't give any hint as to whether he would use his 10-and-5 rights to veto a potential deal. Until he shows signs of life at the plate, Ozuna's fantasy value and value as a trade asset will both be low.
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Pavin Smith RF | ARI
Diamondbacks' Pavin Smith: Taking dry swings
Smith (oblique) was recently cleared to resume taking dry swings, MLB.com reports.
Smith is a little more than two weeks removed from landing on the 10-day injured list due to a right oblique strain and is at the beginning stages of a hitting progression. A timetable for Smith's return to the Diamondbacks' active roster should be available soon as he reaches the point that he's facing live pitching.