MLB Player News
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Seiya Suzuki RF | CHC
Cubs' Seiya Suzuki: Reaches 25-homer mark
Suzuki went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an RBI double in Sunday's 11-0 win over the Cardinals.
Suzuki continues to extend his career high in homers -- he's now at 25 on the year after his seventh blast in the last 14 games. The 30-year-old also contributed an RBI double in the Cubs' five-run rally in the third inning. Suzuki is up to a .263/.319/.561 slash line, 77 RBI, 48 runs scored, 22 doubles, three triples and two stolen bases over 86 contests as he enjoys a career year in the power categories.
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Yandy Diaz 1B | TB
Rays' Yandy Diaz: Doubles, scores twice
Diaz went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI in Sunday's extra-inning win over Minnesota.
Diaz started the day 0-for-3 before singling and scoring a run in the eighth inning. He then ripped an RBI double and scored again in the 10th. After six straight games with multiple hits in late June, Diaz has produced four multi-hit performances over his last 11 appearances. The veteran slugger is now slashing .289/.345/.472 with 33 extra-base hits and 52 RBI through 84 games.
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Kris Bryant RF | COL
Rockies' Kris Bryant: Exploring treatment plans for back
Bryant (back) said that he will consult with a doctor over the phone Monday before visiting another specialist in Dallas soon thereafter to try "experimental treatments" for his degenerative disk disease, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Bryant said that he's been able to work out and do light hitting, but his back continues to respond poorly when he's attempted to run since getting an ablation procedure May 8. According to Bryant, the only other surgical method for his back would be a fusion procedure that would make it difficult to continue his playing career, so he's understandably looking into alternative treatment plans that would improve his chances of getting back on the field this season. Since signing a seven-year, $182 million contract with the Rockies in March 2022, Bryant has played in just 128 of Colorado's 414 games while batting .244 with 17 home runs, 75 runs and 61 RBI over 712 plate appearances.
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Jesse Winker DH | NYM
Mets' Jesse Winker: Could be activated Tuesday
Manager Carlos Mendoza said Sunday that Winker (oblique) could return from the 60-day injured list when the Mets open their three-game series in Baltimore on Tuesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Winker has been on the shelf since May 4 due to a right oblique strain, but he looks ready to rejoin the big club after he went 4-for-12 with two home runs, one double and three walks across five rehab games with High-A Brooklyn, Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. The 31-year-old didn't get any exposure to the corner outfield during his rehab assignment, and while DiComo relays that the Mets have no imminent plans to use him on defense upon his return, the left-handed-hitting Winker should see regular starts against right-handed pitching as the strong side of a platoon at designated hitter.
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Starling Marte DH | NYM
Mets' Starling Marte: Getting knee checked out
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Yankees that Marte will get evaluated after his knee "flared up" in the ninth inning, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Marte was in the lineup for the fourth time in the last five games but was making just his fifth start of the season in the outfield while Brandon Nimmo served as the Mets' designated hitter. The 36-year-old provided a spark from the top of the order over his five plate appearances with three base hits and his fifth stolen base of the season, but the flareup of his chronic knee issue now clouds his availability heading into the All-Star break. Even if Marte is able to quickly bounce back from the knee problem, his playing time could soon trend downward with Jesse Winker (oblique) expected to return from the injured list at some point during the upcoming week.
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Pavin Smith RF | ARI
Diamondbacks' Pavin Smith: Out with oblique strain
The Diamondbacks placed Smith on the 10-day injured list Sunday due to a right oblique strain.
Smith presumably suffered the injury in Saturday's 7-1 win over the Royals, as he went 0-for-1 with two walks and two runs before being replaced by a pinch hitter in the sixth inning. The 29-year-old will be eligible to be reinstated coming out of the All-Star break, but a longer absence wouldn't be surprising, given the nature of the injury.
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Josh Bell DH | MIN
Nationals' Josh Bell: Three hits in Saturday's loss
Bell went 3-for-4 with an RBI in Saturday's loss to the Red Sox.
The veteran switch hitter is digging his way out of an early-season hole at the plate. The three-hit performance was Bell's second in the last four games, and over his last 16 contests he's slashing .327/.377/.491 with three doubles, two homers, five runs and 11 RBI.
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Ben Rice C | NYY
Yankees' Ben Rice: Resting Sunday
Rice is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets.
Rice will head to the bench after starting three of the last four games and going 4-for-15 with two doubles, a walk, two RBI and two runs. The Yankees will open Sunday's contest with Austin Wells behind the plate, Paul Goldschmidt at first base and Giancarlo Stanton as their designated hitter.
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Jorge Soler DH | LAA
Angels' Jorge Soler: Resting Sunday
Soler is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.
Soler will get a breather after struggling at the dish since being activated from the injured list Tuesday, going 2-for-15 with a home run and a 3:9 BB:K in five games. Gustavo Campero will cover right field and bat eighth.
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Marcell Ozuna DH | ATL
Braves' Marcell Ozuna: Getting rare day off
Ozuna is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles.
Ozuna's run of 70 consecutive starts is coming to an end, but it's a good time for a break since he's batting .130 (6-for-46) with no extra-base hits in his past 13 contests. Drake Baldwin will fill in as the designated hitter for Atlanta on Sunday while Sean Murphy works behind the plate.