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  • 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.

  • Ben Rice 1B | 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Marcell Ozuna DH | PIT

    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.

  • 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.

  • Cody Freeman SS | TEX

    Rangers' Cody Freeman: Makes first MLB start

    Freeman started at third base and went 0-for-3 in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Tigers.

    Freeman had his contract selected from Triple-A Round Rock on Friday and made his first MLB start. He's unlucky in that his first start in the show came against Detroit lefty Tarik Skubal (2.19 ERA, 2nd in MLB), but Rangers manager Bruce Bochy typically uses a right-handed batter at third base when facing a southpaw. With Josh Jung back in the minors, the Rangers' hot corner has become a rotation of Josh Smith against righties with Ezequiel Duran and now Freeman against lefties.

  • Shohei Ohtani DH | LAD

    Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani: Goes deep again Sunday

    Ohtani went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk Sunday in a loss to the Brewers.

    Ohtani batted second in the lineup for the first time this season, and the move paid off when he followed a Mookie Betts single in the third inning with a two-run blast to left field. The two-way superstar has homered in each of his past two contests and is up to 34 long balls on the campaign, though he's been passed for the NL lead by Eugenio Suarez, who has 35 home runs after going deep four times over the weekend. Suarez is also up on Ohtani by 20 RBI, which is due in part to the latter hitting leadoff throughout the season until Sunday. If Betts can get his bat back on track while taking over in the leadoff role, Ohtani could see more run-scoring opportunities moving forward.

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