MLB Player News
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Rhys Hoskins 1B | CLE
Guardians' Rhys Hoskins: Homer, double in win
Hoskins went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, a home run and three RBI in Friday's 8-5 win over the Athletics.
Hoskins' two-run two-bagger tied the game at 4-4 in the fifth inning, and he added a solo shot in the seventh that ended up being the decisive run. The first baseman had gone just 2-for-13 across six games since his last multi-hit performance. He's batting .219 with a .751 OPS, two homers, nine RBI, 13 runs scored, six doubles and no stolen bases over 90 plate appearances this season. Hoskins should be in the lineup against most southpaws while seeing part-time usage between first base and designated hitter against right-handers.
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Cade Smith RP | CLE
Guardians' Cade Smith: Picks up eighth save
Smith struck out one over 1.1 perfect innings to earn the save in Friday's 8-5 win over the Athletics.
The Guardians had to dig deep in this one, but Smith was able to close it out as the sixth reliever to appear in the game. After a bumpy start to the season, Smith has settled in with just one run allowed over his last 6.1 innings, a span in which he has added a 7:1 K:BB. He's 8-for-10 on save chances this season while pitching to a 3.52 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 18:4 K:BB through 15.1 innings.
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Joey Cantillo SP | CLE
Guardians' Joey Cantillo: Takes no-decision in short outing
Cantillo allowed four runs on five hits and three walks while striking out two over four innings in a no-decision versus the Athletics on Friday.
The southpaw got off to a rough start, giving up a two-run home run to Brent Rooker in the first inning. Things didn't get much better for Cantillo after that, and he departed the game after 69 pitches (40 strikes), falling short of the five-inning mark for the third time in seven outings this season. He's now allowed five homers over his last four games. Cantillo is at a 3.67 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 36:16 K:BB over 34.1 innings, showcasing strikeout upside and mid-rotation potential despite some occasional inconsistency. His next start is projected to come on the road versus the Royals.
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Connor Joe RF | SEA
Mariners' Connor Joe: Lifts homer in loss
Joe went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Friday's 7-6 loss to the Royals.
Joe's homer was his first of the season. The 33-year-old has hit safely in his last four contests, going 4-for-11 in that span. He's filling a depth role for the Mariners with the ability to cover first base and both corner outfield spots, though the bulk of his playing time will come against left-handed pitchers. Joe has added three RBI, two runs scored, a double and one stolen base over 17 plate appearances this season.
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Randy Arozarena LF | SEA
Mariners' Randy Arozarena: Pops homer Friday
Arozarena went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 7-6 loss to the Royals.
Arozarena had gone nine games without a long ball, though he had four doubles, a triple and two stolen bases in that span. The outfielder has been striking out a bit too much lately with 15 of them over his last 10 contests. Still, he's batting .288 with an .835 OPS, three homers, 12 RBI, 23 runs scored, seven stolen bases, nine doubles and one triple across 33 games on the year.
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Julio Rodriguez CF | SEA
Mariners' Julio Rodriguez: Swats pair of homers
Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a pair of two-run home runs in Friday's 7-6 loss to the Royals.
Rodriguez doubled his homer total for the year with this performance, though it wasn't enough to get the Mariners a win. The outfielder has warmed up with six multi-hit efforts over his last 10 contests, a span that includes three of his four homers for the year. Rodriguez is batting .262 with a .733 OPS, 16 RBI, 16 runs scored, six doubles and three stolen bases over 33 games. He's usually been a slow starter during his career, so this power surge could be a sign he's about to fully break out.
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Bryan Woo SP | SEA
Mariners' Bryan Woo: Struggles again Friday
Woo allowed six runs on seven hits and struck out two without walking a batter over six innings in a no-decision versus the Royals on Friday.
Woo wasn't great early, allowing the Royals to pile up four runs in the top of the first inning. He then gave up solo shots to Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone in the sixth inning, though the Mariners managed to get Woo off the hook for the loss. The right-hander has had some unusual struggles, allowing 13 runs over nine innings across his last two starts even though those are his only two outings this season in which he issued zero walks. Woo is now at a 4.61 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 29:6 K:BB through 41 innings over seven starts. He'll try to bounce back in a tough home matchup against Atlanta next week.
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Jac Caglianone RF | KC
Royals' Jac Caglianone: Slugs third homer
Caglianone went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's 7-6 win over the Mariners.
Caglianone has homered three times over his last nine games, accounting for half of his hits in that span and all of his homers on the year. The outfielder continues to see a strong-side platoon role in right field. He's batting .253 with a .762 OPS, five RBI, 12 runs scored, five doubles, one triple and no stolen bases over 102 plate appearances this season.
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Vinnie Pasquantino 1B | KC
Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino: Homers in return to lineup
Pasquantino went 2-for-5 with a solo home run, a second RBI and a total of two runs scored in Friday's 7-6 win over the Mariners.
Pasquantino had been dealing with lower-back tightness for a while, an issue that cost him a couple of games earlier this week, but he was able to make an impact in his return to the starting nine. Pasquantino's four homers this season have all come over his last 12 games, a span in which he's gone 9-for-42 (.214). That's still slightly better than his season-long batting average of .176, which has come with a .631 OPS, 16 RBI, 13 runs scored, three doubles and two triples over 129 plate appearances.
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Lucas Erceg RP | KC
Royals' Lucas Erceg: Converts eighth save
Erceg struck out one in a perfect inning to earn the save in Friday's 7-6 win over the Mariners.
Erceg has settled back in after back-to-back blown saves in mid-April. He's allowed just one unearned run over his last five innings, picking up three saves and two wins over five appearances in that span. For the season, the right-hander has a 4.05 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 11:10 K:BB with eight saves and a hold over 13.1 innings. Erceg continues to fill in as the Royals' primary closer while Carlos Estevez (foot) works his way back to full health.