MLB Player News
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Bobby Witt SS | KC
Royals' Bobby Witt: Showcases power and speed
Witt went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and one steal in Monday's 7-0 win over the Cardinals.
Witt stole his 16th bag of the season and hit his 10th home run of the year. The only other players with double figures in each of those categories already are Ronald Acuna and Josh Lowe. Witt hit 20 long balls and stole 30 bags as a rookie last year, and the 22-year-old is on pace to shatter both of those marks in 2023, barring he stays healthy.
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Corey Seager SS | TEX
Rangers' Corey Seager: Stays hot Monday
Seager went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run and an additional RBI in Monday's 5-0 victory over Detroit.
Seager missed over a month on the injured list due to a hamstring injury, and since going 0-for-3 in his return, the shortstop has collected 14 hits (eight for extra bases), 18 RBI and eight runs over his past 10 appearances. The 2012 first-round pick signed a 10-year, $325 million deal with the Rangers following the 2021 campaign and went on to hit a career-high 33 homers in his first season with Texas. He already has five long balls through 22 appearances in 2023, but Seager's shown more diversity at the plate this year, slashing .333/.398/.607 across 84 plate appearances.
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Nick Allen SS | HOU
Athletics' Nick Allen: Sitting after four straight starts
Allen is out of the lineup for Monday's game against Atlanta.
After starting each of the past four games and going 2-for-12, Allen's season-long batting average now sits at .200 for the season. Since he isn't hitting for much power and owns a weak 6.6 percent walk rate, Allen could be starting to lose some security as the Athletics' top shortstop. Oakland will turn to Aledmys Diaz as their starting shortstop and cleanup hitter Monday with the hope that he can offer more production from the position.
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Josh H. Smith SS | TEX
Rangers' Josh Smith: Sits against lefty
Smith is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Tigers.
With southpaw Matthew Boyd on the bump for Detroit, Smith and fellow lefty hitter Travis Jankowski will both head to the bench while the righty-hitting Bubba Thompson picks up a start in left field. While Ezequiel Duran (oblique) is on the shelf, Smith and Jankowski will likely be jockeying for one spot in Texas' everyday lineup versus right-handed pitching.
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Carlos Correa SS | HOU
Twins' Carlos Correa: Base hit in return to action
Correa went 1-for-4 in his return to Sunday's lineup against the Blue Jays.
Correa was slotted back in at shortstop and hit third after sitting out Saturday's game while managing some foot and heel discomfort. He singled his first time up and nearly missed a home run to center in the eighth. It's been an unusually slow season thus far at the plate for the 28-year-old, who is now slashing .216/.392/.700 with six homers, 24 RBI, 14 runs and a 24:45 BB:K over 201 plate appearances.
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Jeremy Pena SS | HOU
Astros' Jeremy Pena: Lifts homer in blowout win
Pena went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk in Sunday's 10-1 win over the Athletics.
Pena hadn't homered in 22 games entering this weekend, but he's gone deep in back-to-back contests. During the power drought, he hit .244 (20-for-82) with five extra-base hits, and he was caught stealing four times in that span. It's been a tough start to 2023 for the shortstop, whose .247/.292/.439 slash line through 51 games isn't all that different from where he ended last year. He's added eight homers, 26 RBI, 28 runs scored and six stolen bases while maintaining a near-everyday place in the lineup.
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Zachary Neto SS | LAA
Angels' Zach Neto: Hits bench Sunday
Neto is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins.
After going hitless with a walk and a stolen base in Saturday's 8-5 loss, Neto will hit the bench in the series finale. Livan Soto will step in at shortstop for the rookie, who slashed .271/.323/.508 with eight extra-base hits over a stretch of 18 consecutive starts dating back to May 8.
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Carlos Correa SS | HOU
Twins' Carlos Correa: Back in lineup Sunday
Correa will start at shortstop and bat third in Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.
After recently overcoming a bout of plantar fasciitis, Correa sat out Saturday's 9-7 win, but his absence looks like it was mainly for maintenance purposes. Fantasy managers should expect Minnesota to give Correa an occasional day of rest during the summer months to keep him healthy down the stretch, but he nonetheless appears ready to handle a near-everyday role moving forward.
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Josh H. Smith SS | TEX
Rangers' Josh Smith: Takes seat Sunday
Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles.
Though Smith is on the bench Sunday, he could be an option to claim a near-everyday spot in the lineup against right-handed pitching after Ezequiel Duran (oblique) was moved to the 10-day injured list Saturday. Outfielder Travis Jankowski (hamstring) -- who was activated from the IL in a corresponding move -- will take Duran's spot in the lineup Sunday, but Smith had filled in for Duran in left field in both of the previous two contests.
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Jeremy Pena SS | HOU
Astros' Jeremy Pena: Pops seventh homer
Pena went 2-for-4 with a double, a two-run home run and a second run scored in Saturday's 6-3 win over the A's.
He gave the Astros a quick 2-0 lead by taking Austin Pruitt deep in the top of the first inning. Pena's .247/.290/.428 slash line on the season is a near-perfect match for his .253/.289/.426 line as a rookie, but Saturday's long ball was his first in May and snapped a 22-game homer drought.