MLB Player News
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Masyn Winn SS | STL
Cardinals' Masyn Winn: Leading off Monday
Winn will start at shortstop and bat leadoff Monday against the Reds, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
With lefty Nick Lodolo due up for Cincinnati, Cardinals skipper Oliver Marmol will give the rookie another opportunity to set the table. Winn has made two other starts in the leadoff spot this season but has primarily hit in the bottom third of the order. That could change given Winn's hot hitting; he's riding a 15-game hitting streak during which he's slashing .375/.404/.604.
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Brett Wisely 2B | SF
Giants' Brett Wisely: Smacks first homer
Wisely went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Mets.
Wisely has strung together three multi-hit efforts, going 7-for-11 in that span. The homer was his first extra-base hit of the campaign. That hot stretch has allowed Wisely to mount a challenge for playing time at shortstop, which has come at the expense of Marco Luciano. It's a battle the Giants will likely hope for Luciano to win in the long run, as Wisely is best suited to a bench role given his defensive versatility.
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C.J. Abrams SS | WAS
Nationals' CJ Abrams: Launches eighth homer
Abrams went 1-for-4 with a three run home run in Sunday's 9-5 loss to Seattle.
Abrams broke out of a minor slump Sunday, slugging his first home run since April 29 and recording his first RBI since May 18. He has cooled off significantly in the month of May, slashing .209/.225/.256 with four RBI and eight runs scored. Despite the recent struggles, the 23-year-old has still had a productive season, batting .257 with eight home runs, 21 RBI, 30 runs scored and eight stolen bases.
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Marco Luciano SS | SF
Giants' Marco Luciano: Sharing shortstop with Wisely
Luciano is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets.
After drawing five straight starts at shortstop from last Friday through Wednesday, Luciano appears to have moved into more of a timeshare at the position with Brett Wisely. Even with lefty Sean Manaea toeing the rubber for the Mets, the righty-hitting Luciano will give way to the lefty-hitting Wisely in the series finale.
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Oneil Cruz SS | PIT
Pirates' Oneil Cruz: Receiving breather Sunday
Cruz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game versus Atlanta, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Lefty Chris Sale is taking the mound Sunday for Atlanta, and Cruz will head to the bench after starting the previous six games. The shortstop has been scuffling at the plate recently with a .488 OPS and 43.6 percent strikeout rate in his past nine contests. Alika Williams is starting at shortstop and batting ninth Sunday.
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Brett Wisely 2B | SF
Giants' Brett Wisely: Three hits including game-winner
Wisely went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI in Saturday's 7-2 extra-inning win over the Mets.
Getting the start at shortstop and batting ninth, Wisely led off the 10th inning with a single that brought home the phantom runner and kicked off a five-run rally by the Giants. The 25-year-old utility player is batting .385 (5-for-13) since his promotion after producing a .311/.403/.487 slash line in 32 games for Triple-A Sacramento, and the door could be open for him to see more action at shortstop with Marco Luciano struggling to provide reliable defense.
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Jordan Lawlar SS | ARI
Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Rehab games next week
Diamondbacks farm director Shaun Larkin said Saturday that Lawlar (thumb) will play in rehab games next week in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League and is on track for a full return from Triple-A Reno's 60-day injured list in two weeks, Jesse Friedman of GoPHNX.com reports.
Lawlar underwent surgery in late March to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb and has been progressing on schedule. The 21-year-old shortstop should push to join the Diamondbacks eventually but first needs to knock off some rust in the minors.
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Trea Turner SS | PHI
Phillies' Trea Turner: Runs at higher intensity Saturday
Phillies manager Rob Thomson said that Turner (hamstring) ran at a higher intensity Saturday, Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
Turner could progress to running the bases as soon as the Phillies' series in San Francisco against the Giants which begins Monday. He will need to complete that step and also see live pitching before being cleared to begin a rehab assignment, but rehab games wouldn't seem to be too terribly far off if he continues moving in the right direction.
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Marco Luciano SS | SF
Giants' Marco Luciano: Idle Saturday
Luciano isn't in the Giants' lineup for Saturday's game against the Mets.
Luciano has filled in as San Francisco's primary shortstop since Nick Ahmed went down with a wrist injury, but he will get a breather Saturday after going 3-for-4 during Friday's win in the series opener. Brett Wisely will start at shortstop and bat ninth in Luciano's absence.
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Ezequiel Tovar SS | COL
Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar: Collects game-winning RBI
Tovar went 4-for-6 with a double and two RBI in Friday's victory over Philadelphia.
Tovar had a career night against the Phillies, collecting his first ever four-hit game and driving home the winning run in extras. The Colorado shortstop has been hot over his last 10 games, batting .347 (17-for-49) with three homers, eight runs scored and eight RBI. Overall, Tovar sports a .285/.317/.473 slash line in 221 plate appearances this season.