MLB Player News
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Josh H. Smith SS | TEX
Rangers' Josh Smith: On bench Sunday
Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Houston.
With lefty Framber Valdez on the hill for the Astros, the left-handed-hitting Smith will get the day off after starting in each of the previous seven games. Ezequiel Duran will cover shortstop in Smith's stead.
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Bo Bichette 3B | NYM
Blue Jays' Bo Bichette: Receiving rare day off
Bichette is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Bichette started the previous 55 contests and will receive a break Sunday after going 9-for-19 with four doubles and two homers in the first five games of September. He appeared to get a bit banged up during Saturday's contest on a slide into home plate, though no injury has been announced and the shortstop never exited the contest. Monday's team off day will provide Bichette with two consecutive days to rest ahead of a stretch of a stretch of 13 games in 13 days.
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Bobby Witt SS | KC
Royals' Bobby Witt: Sitting Sunday
Witt (back) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins.
Witt left Friday's 2-1 win with low back spasms and will close out the weekend with two straight absences while he manages the injury. On an encouraging note, an MRI on Witt's back returned clean Saturday, so he should be viewed as day-to-day heading into Monday's series opener in Cleveland.
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Jacob Wilson SS | ATH
Athletics' Jacob Wilson: Three-hit effort in blowout win
Wilson went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Saturday's 17-4 win over the Angels.
This was the shortstop's third three-hit effort over his last five games. He remains excellent at the plate since returning from a broken forearm, having gone 19-for-52 (.365) over his last 13 games. Wilson has racked up five extra-base hits and 11 RBI in that span as well, though all of his hits Saturday were singles. The 23-year-old is up to a .318/.360/.451 slash line with 12 home runs, 56 RBI, 55 runs scored, 20 doubles and five stolen bases through 107 contests this season.
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Ezequiel Tovar SS | COL
Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar: Rips three hits in loss
Tovar went 3-for-3 with a walk in Saturday's 10-8 loss to the Padres.
Tovar's got a hot bat -- he's logged four multi-hit efforts while going 12-for-33 (.364) over his last nine games. While he's posted just two extra-base hits and two RBI in that span, the consistency at the plate is encouraging, though most of the hot streak has come at home. He's up to a .272/.314/.434 slash line with eight homers, 24 RBI, 39 runs scored and four stolen bases over 75 contests. Like many Rockies hitters, he's had some extreme home-road splits this year with a .947 OPS at Coors Field and a .532 OPS away from home.
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Mason McCoy SS | SD
Padres' Mason McCoy: Snags steal in win
McCoy went 1-for-4 with a walk, one RBI, one stolen base and one run scored in Saturday's 10-8 win over the Rockies.
McCoy started for just the second time in eight games since he was called up from Triple-A El Paso in late August. The infielder hasn't been able to supplant Jose Iglesias in the starting lineup on a regular basis, though McCoy has drawn both of his starts against right-handed pitchers despite being a righty hitter. His hit Saturday was his first of the season to go along with a 1:6 BB:K over 13 plate appearances, so he hasn't shown enough yet to push for a regular role.
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Bobby Witt SS | KC
Royals' Bobby Witt: MRI comes back clean
Witt's MRI on his back returned negative results, and he could return to action when his spasms "loosen up enough to play," Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Witt exited Friday's game against Minnesota due to back spasms and didn't play Saturday. It sounds like he's not dealing with a significant injury, however, so he should be able to avoid a stint on the IL. Witt's return to the lineup will likely depend upon when the spasms in his back subside.
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Bobby Witt SS | KC
Royals' Bobby Witt: Not in lineup Saturday
Witt (back) is not in the lineup for Saturday's game versus Minnesota, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Witt exited Friday's game with lower-back spasms and needs at least another day of rest. He underwent an MRI on Saturday, and the team is still awaiting the results, Rogers added. With Witt on the bench, Maikel Garcia slides over to shortstop and bats second with Nick Loftin entering the lineup at third base, batting seventh.
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Luke Williams SS | ATL
Braves' Luke Williams: Clears waivers
Williams cleared waivers Saturday and was sent outright to Triple-A Gwinnett, Lindsay Crosby of AthlonSports.com reports.
Williams will officially remain in the Atlanta organization after being designated for assignment Thursday. The 29-year-old utility man has been a liability at the plate in both MLB and Triple-A this year, though his versatility could become valuable if Atlanta's depth is tested down the stretch.
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Trea Turner SS | PHI
Phillies' Trea Turner: Absent from lineup
Turner isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Marlins.
Turner has tallied 13 hits over his last six games and recorded at least one hit in 22 of his last 24 contests. He'll receive a rare day off Saturday while Edmundo Sosa starts at shortstop and bats eighth.