MLB Player News
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Dansby Swanson SS | CHC
Cubs' Dansby Swanson: Picks up 18th steal
Swanson went 1-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and one run scored in Sunday's 5-0 win over the Nationals.
Swanson was also caught stealing once, putting him at 18-for-21 on the basepaths this season. The shortstop has had a challenging year at times, but he's ending on a high note -- he's batting .313 (26-for-83) in September over 20 contests. Swanson's late surge has him up to a .241/.311/.386 slash line with 16 home runs, 64 RBI, 79 runs scored, 23 doubles and two triples across 145 games this year.
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Nasim Nunez SS | WAS
Nationals' Nasim Nunez: Starting for demoted Abrams
Nunez will start at shortstop and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Cubs.
Nunez will close the weekend with consecutive starts at shortstop after he went 1-for-3 in Saturday's 5-1 win. With the Nationals optioning CJ Abrams to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, Nunez could take on an everyday role in the middle infield during the final week of the regular season.
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Mason McCoy SS | SD
Padres' Mason McCoy: Lands on injured list
The Padres placed McCoy on the 10-day injured list Sunday with back inflammation.
McCoy's IL stint is backdated to Thursday, making him eligible to return for the Padres' final game of the regular season Sept. 29. He has appeared in 19 games with the Padres this season, slashing .204/.278/.245. The Padres will replace McCoy on the 28-man active roster with veteran infielder Nick Ahmed, who was called up in a corresponding transaction.
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Nick Ahmed SS | SD
Padres' Nick Ahmed: Receives call-up
The Padres selected Ahmed's contract on Sunday.
Ahmed is back in the majors and will provide infield depth in the absence of Mason McCoy, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with back inflammation. While Ahmed has been in the San Diego organization since Sept. 1, he never made an appearance with a minor-league affiliate and was instead working at the team's complex in Arizona. He had hit .232/.271/.300 in 69 games between the Dodgers and Giants this season.
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Isiah Kiner-Falefa CF | PIT
Pirates' Isiah Kiner-Falefa: On bench Sunday
Kiner-Falefa is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds.
Nick Gonzales will take over at shortstop and atop the batting order against right-hander Hunter Greene. Kiner-Falefa occupies those spots most days, and he's provided a .286 average this month as the Pirates' primary leadoff hitter, though it's been a rather empty batting average (five doubles, no homers, three RBI in his last 19 games).
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Mookie Betts RF | LAD
Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Homer and steal in loss
Betts went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and a stolen base in Saturday's loss to the Rockies.
Betts clubbed a two-out, two-run homer in his second at-bat to bring the Dodgers back within one run of Colorado and later added a leadoff single in the fifth, though he was left stranded after stealing second. It marked the All-Star's fourth long ball this month and his 18th on the campaign, while the steal was the second in his last three games. Betts is now slashing .274/.313/.534 in September with nine extra-base hits, 17 RBI, 12 runs and three stolen bases.
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Luisangel Acuna 2B | NYM
Mets' Luisangel Acuna: Goes yard again Saturday
Acuna went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double and a solo home run in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Phillies.
The 22-year-old has been on fire since getting promoted last weekend, batting .385 (10-for-26) in his first eight big-league games with six extra-base hits, including three homers. Acuna's power display is especially impressive considering he hit only seven home runs in 131 games at Triple-A this season. Francisco Lindor (back) should return to the lineup any day now and reclaim the starting job at shortstop, but with a playoff spot on the line, the Mets could keep Acuna's red-hot bat in the lineup at another position.
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Elly De La Cruz SS | CIN
Reds' Elly De La Cruz: Homers, drives in four
De La Cruz went 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and an additional run scored in Saturday's 7-1 win over the Pirates.
De La Cruz reached yet another milestone Saturday, becoming the youngest player in MLB history with 25 homers and 60 stolen bases in a season. He also joins Ronald Acuna and Joe Morgan as the only players with 35 doubles, 25 homers and 60 stolen bases in a season. De La Cruz tied his season high in RBI with four, with both instances coming over his last eight games.
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Francisco Lindor SS | NYM
Mets' Francisco Lindor: Sitting out through weekend
Lindor (back) will go through a full series of baseball activities Saturday, but he is not expected to play until Tuesday's series opener in Atlanta at the earliest, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Lindor will wind up missing at least seven consecutive starts due to back pain. With a team off day coming Monday, the Mets will give the star shortstop some additional rest. While a Tuesday return isn't guaranteed, the fact that Lindor was cleared to resume full baseball activities this weekend is an encouraging development. In the meantime, Luisangel Acuna should continue to start at shortstop in Lindor's stead through Sunday.