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Austin Martin LF | MIN
Twins' Austin Martin: Responsible for team's lone run
Martin went 1-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice fly during the Twins' 2-1 loss to the Reds on Friday.
Martin's sacrifice fly in the fifth inning plated the Twins' only run during Friday's loss. Martin has been effective at the plate as of late, having reached base safely in 11 of his last 12 games. Over his last eight games, Martin has gone 9-for-20 (.450) with one steal (on three attempts), one home run, two RBI, five walks and six runs scored.
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Ivan Herrera DH | STL
Cardinals' Ivan Herrera: Homers, drives in three Friday
Herrera went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a hit-by-pitch, three RBI and two runs scored in Friday's 9-4 win over the Astros.
Herrera padded the Cardinals' lead to 9-3 with a two-run shot in the top of the eighth. It was Herrera's first multi-hit game of the season, and he's now homered in two of the past three games after failing to hit a long ball in any of his first 16 contests. Herrera's on-base skills have remained strong this season, and his bat seems to be heating up, as he has recorded at least one hit in six of the last eight games. Herrera is slashing .212/.398/.348 with two homers, 10 RBI, seven runs scored and an 18:10 BB:K across 88 trips to the plate.
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Reds' Emilio Pagan: Earns save against Minnesota
Pagan (hamstring) collected his sixth save of the season Friday in the Reds' 2-1 win over the Twins, striking out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning.
Pagan injured his hamstring in his last outing against the Giants on Tuesday, but he was cleared to come out of the bullpen Friday to protect the Reds' one-run lead in the ninth. He needed just 13 pitches (eight strikes) to get through the frame for his sixth save of the season, which is tied with Mason Miller and Paul Sewald for most in the National League. It was a good sign to see Pagan back on the mound, but his usage over the weekend will be worth monitoring.
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Brendan Donovan 3B | SEA
Mariners' Brendan Donovan: Removed early Friday
Donovan was removed from Friday's game against the Rangers with left hip tightness, Shannon Drayer of SeattleSports.com reports.
Donovan went 0-for-2 at the plate Friday before being replaced at third base in the fourth inning. The Mariners don't believe that Donovan is dealing with anything serious, though he may still sit out a game or two as a precaution. Leo Rivas entered as Donovan's replacement Friday and will likely take over as Seattle's third baseman if the latter has to miss a start.
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Joe Ryan SP | MIN
Twins' Joe Ryan: Tough-luck loss against Cincinnati
Ryan (2-2) took the loss against the Reds on Friday, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out six across six innings. He did not issue a walk.
Ryan was sharp for most of Friday's start, generating 10 whiffs while tossing 57 strikes on 94 pitches. His lone blemish was a two-run double he yielded to Eugenio Suarez in the fourth inning, and despite those being the only runs given up, he still came away with the loss as his teammates generated just one run. Ryan has logged two consecutive quality starts and has given up two earned runs or fewer in four of his first five outings of 2026. His 28 strikeouts and 0.88 WHIP (across 27.1 innings) both rank ninth among qualified starters in the American League. Ryan is tentatively slated to start next week on the road against the struggling Mets.
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Eugenio Suarez DH | CIN
Reds' Eugenio Suarez: Powers offense Friday
Suarez went 2-for-4 with a two-run double during the Reds' 2-1 win over the Twins on Friday.
Suarez laced a two-run double to center field in the fourth inning, providing the decisive runs in Cincinnati's win. Two of the 34-year-old slugger's five multi-hit games on the year have come over his last three outings. Since April 1, Suarez has gone 14-for-49 (.286) with seven walks, two home runs and seven RBI.
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Casey Mize SP | SD
Tigers' Casey Mize: Strong again in no-decision
Mize did not factor into the decision in Friday's 1-0 extra-inning loss to the Red Sox, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out seven over 6.2 scoreless innings.
Mize went toe-to-toe with Ranger Suarez, generating 14 swinging strikes on 94 pitches to earn his second quality start of the season. The 28-year-old has now allowed one earned run or fewer in three of four starts, with the lone exception being a five-run clunker April 6. He'll carry a 2.78 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 25:7 K:BB across 22.2 innings into a home matchup against the Brewers next week.
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Jose Ramirez 3B | CLE
Guardians' Jose Ramirez: Keeps running in loss
Ramirez went 0-for-1 with four walks, a stolen base and a run scored in Friday's 6-4 loss to Baltimore.
Ramirez swiped his ninth bag in nine attempts, seven of which have come in the last seven contests. A rocky first two weeks have given way to the feared batter opposing pitchers are accustomed to seeing. He entered Friday slashing .355/.459/.710 with three home runs, two doubles and five RBI over the previous eight games, which may explain why the Orioles walked him four times.
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Daulton Varsho CF | HOU
Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Exits with knee discomfort
Varsho was removed from Friday's game against the Diamondbacks with left knee discomfort.
Varsho struck out during his lone at-bat before being replaced in center field in the third inning. More information on the severity of his injury will likely come out in the near future, and if the 29-year-old has to miss any amount of time, Myles Straw would be the next man up to start in center field.
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Ranger Suarez SP | BOS
Casey Mize SP | SD
Red Sox's Ranger Suarez: Throws eight scoreless Friday
Suarez did not factor into the decision in Friday's 1-0 extra-inning win over the Tigers, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out four over eight scoreless innings.
Suarez worked eight strong innings but was locked in a pitchers' duel with Casey Mize for most of the contest. Despite throwing just 55 of 93 pitches for strikes and generating only four whiffs, the 30-year-old has now tossed 14 straight scoreless frames without allowing an extra-base hit after yielding eight combined runs over his first two starts with the Red Sox. He'll carry a 3.22 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 15:6 K:BB across 22.1 innings into a home matchup against the Yankees next week.