MLB Player News
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Jose Caballero SS | TB
Rays' Jose Caballero: Taking seat Thursday
Caballero isn't in the Rays' lineup for Thursday's game against the Cardinals, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Caballero will get a day to rest Thursday after recording a hit and stealing a base in each of the first two games of the series. His absence will allow Curtis Mead to pick up a start at the hot corner while batting ninth.
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Oneil Cruz SS | PIT
Pirates' Oneil Cruz: Making return to lineup
Cruz (illness) will start at shortstop and bat third in Thursday's game against the Padres.
Cruz had been out of the lineup for each of the past two games due to an illness, but his usage off the bench in Wednesday's 9-8 extra-inning loss was an indication his return to the starting nine was imminent. He'll take back his usual spot in the lineup for the series finale as the Pirates look to avoid a sweep.
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Ha-seong Kim SS | SD
Padres' Ha-Seong Kim: Back in lineup Thursday
Kim (tricep) will start at shortstop and bat eighth in Thursday's game against the Pirates.
Kim missed two consecutive starts due to right triceps soreness, but the Padres never seemed concerned about him requiring a trip to the injured list. He came off the bench to pinch run for Jurickson Profar in the sixth inning Wednesday, ultimately staying in the contest and finishing 1-for-1 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored while playing five innings in the field in the Padres' 9-8 extra-inning triumph. With Kim checking out fine following Wednesday's contest, he'll draw back into the lineup for the series finale.
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Leonardo Jimenez SS | TOR
Blue Jays' Leo Jimenez: Doubles machine in Wednesday's loss
Jimenez went 3-for-4 with three doubles and a run scored in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to the Orioles.
The 23-year-old produced multiple extra-base hits in a game for the first time in his young career. Jimenez has been feast or (mostly) famine of late, delivering three multi-hit performances in his last 11 games but managing only one hit combined in the other eight. Over his first 76 big-league plate appearances, he's slashing .209/.289/.254 with a 4:23 BB:K, and Jimenez is losing playing time at shortstop to Ernie Clement as the Blue Jays wait for the return of Bo Bichette (calf).
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Brett Wisely 2B | SF
Giants' Brett Wisely: Taking seat against lefty
Wisely is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Nationals, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle
Wisely will head to the bench along with fellow left-handed hitter LaMonte Wade as the Nationals send southpaw DJ Herz to the bump. Casey Schmitt will fill in for Wisely at the keystone.
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Zach McKinstry SS | DET
Tigers' Zach McKinstry: Reaches three times in win
McKinstry went 2-for-4 with a stolen base in Wednesday's win over Seattle.
McKinstry walked in his first trip to the plate and later added an infield single in the top of the eighth before stealing his ninth base of the campaign. The second baseman reached three times on the night while posting his first multi-hit performance since July 13 against the Dodgers. McKinstry has now hit safely in each of his last four games and is batting .313 (5-for-16) to open the month of August.
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Ezequiel Tovar SS | COL
Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar: Solo homer in loss
Tovar went 1-for-3 with a solo homer in Wednesday's loss to the Mets.
Tovar jumped on the first pitch he saw from Paul Blackburn in the opening frame and launched it 434 feet for his 19th home run of the campaign, giving Colorado an early 1-0 lead. The shortstop has struggled mightily since the start of August, batting just .120 (3-for-25) through six games so far. The home run marked both his first extra-base hit and first RBI this month, though he's now scored a run in back-to-back games.
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Francisco Lindor SS | NYM
Mets' Francisco Lindor: Plates two, swipes 24th bag
Lindor went 2-for-5 with two RBI, a stolen base and a run scored in Wednesday's win over the Rockies.
Lindor singled in his first trip to the plate and stole second before coming around to score the Mets' first run of the game on a knock from Pete Alonso. The shortstop then came through in the clutch in his final at-bat, recording a two-RBI single in the ninth to break the tie and give New York a 4-2 lead. Lindor has now hit safely in five of his first six games to open the month of August, posting three RBI, four runs and two stolen bases over that brief stretch. He's also posted multiple hits in three of his last nine contests, though he's still looking for his first extra-base hit this month.
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Zachary Neto SS | LAA
Angels' Zach Neto: Enjoys huge day in twin bill
Neto went 4-for-9 with two homers, a double, eight RBI and a walk across both games of a doubleheader split with the Yankees on Wednesday.
Neto accounted for all of the Angels' scoring in a Game 1 loss with a two-run homer in the seventh inning. He carried the team's offense again in Game 2, slugging a grand slam and a two-run double to rack up six more RBI and set a new single-game career high. Altogether, Neto's eight RBI on the day were as many as he had accumulated over his previous 15 contests combined. The shortstop has been running hot for the past month, batting .342 with five homers, 20 RBI and six stolen bases over his past 23 contests dating back to July 9.
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Romy Gonzalez 2B | BOS
Red Sox's Romy Gonzalez: Blasts three-run homer
Gonzalez went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 8-4 loss to the Royals.
Gonzalez's blast put the Red Sox ahead 3-2 in the third inning. The backup infielder has gone 4-for-11 with three homers and seven RBI over his last five contests, but that's a span that dates back to July 29. For the season, he's at a .284/.336/.477 slash line with four homers, 17 RBI, 13 runs scored and seven stolen bases through 120 plate appearances. Gonzalez is likely to remain as a right-handed-hitting platoon option at a number of positions, primarily second base.