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Donovan Solano 1B | TEX
Padres' Donovan Solano: Pops fourth homer
Solano went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Rockies.
Solano has played in just five games since the All-Star break, as there isn't room for him in the lineup when all of Jake Cronenworth, Luis Arraez and Xander Bogaerts are playing. Despite the limited action, Solano has gone 5-for-12 over those five games. The utility man has a .300/.355/.417 slash line with four homers, 21 RBI, 21 runs scored, nine doubles and one stolen base over 197 plate appearances this season. His playing time would likely pick up if there was an injury to one of the Padres' other infielders.
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Manny Machado 3B | SD
Padres' Manny Machado: Clubs homer, double in loss
Machado went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a double in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Rockies.
Machado was the only Padre with multiple hits in the contest. He's swinging a hot bat, going 10-for-22 (.455) with four homers and six RBI over his last five games. The third baseman is up to 17 homers, 59 RBI, 52 runs scored, 18 doubles, five stolen bases and a .269/.319/.442 slash line through 103 contests. A 30-homer campaign is still a longshot, but a power surge over the final two months of the season would make it possible.
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Randy Vasquez SP | SD
Padres' Randy Vasquez: Takes no-decision Friday
Vasquez allowed a run on three hits and two walks while striking out four over five innings in a no-decision versus the Rockies on Friday.
Vasquez was responsible for Brendan Rodgers' solo home run in the second inning, but he left with the lead before the Padres' bullpen melted down in the sixth. Aside from a six-run fiasco versus Baltimore in his previous start, Vasquez has been good lately -- he's allowed two runs or fewer in six of his last seven outings. He's pitched to a 4.62 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 50:21 K:BB through 76 innings over 16 starts on the year. The right-hander's next start is projected to be at Miami, though he would be on regular rest for the last two games in next week's earlier series at Pittsburgh if Michael King (calf) doesn't recover as quickly as expected following his exit from his start last Saturday in Baltimore.
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Brendan Rodgers 2B | BOS
Rockies' Brendan Rodgers: Homers in three-hit game
Rodgers went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, a double and an additional run scored in Friday's 5-2 win over the Padres.
Rodgers ended a 10-game homer drought when he opened the scoring in the second inning. He also knocked a double for the third time in four games. The second baseman hit just .221 in July, but he's already 5-for-8 over the first two games in August. For the season, he's produced a .271/.316/.402 slash line with eight long balls, 35 RBI, 44 runs scored, one stolen base, 19 doubles and a triple over 93 contests.
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Victor Vodnik RP | MIA
Rockies' Victor Vodnik: Converts fifth save
Vodnik walked one and struck out one in a scoreless and hitless inning to earn the save in Friday's 5-2 win over the Padres.
All five of Vodnik's saves this year have come since July 6. He's on a four-inning scoreless streak currently, picking up two saves with a 4:2 K:BB in that span. The right-hander has a 3.70 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 53:25 K:BB over 58.1 innings this season. He may not be a full-time closer, but Vodnik appears to be at least at the head of a committee that will likely also see high-leverage work for Tyler Kinley and Justin Lawrence.
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Austin Gomber SP | TEX
Rockies' Austin Gomber: Picks up third win
Gomber (3-7) allowed two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out six over seven innings to earn the win Friday over the Padres.
Gomber gave up solo home runs to Manny Machado and Donovan Solano, but he was able to limit the damage there. This was Gomber's third outing of at least seven innings this year, and it snapped a three-start winless skid. He's at a 4.66 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 84:28 K:BB through 116 innings over 21 starts this season. While homers remain an issue -- he's allowed 22 of them this year -- Gomber is still having his strongest campaign since 2021. His next start is projected to be at home versus the Mets.
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Tyler Phillips SP | MIA
Phillies' Tyler Phillips: Struggles mightily in Seattle
Phillips (3-1) allowed eight runs on five hits and three walks while striking out one over 1.2 innings to take the loss Friday versus the Mariners.
Phillips had pitched 15 consecutive scoreless innings over his last two starts, but Victor Robles ended that streak with a solo home run in the first inning. Luke Raley added a three-run home run and Justin Turner hit a grand slam in the second, which was enough to end Phillips' outing early. He's now at a 4.39 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 20:5 K:BB through 26.2 innings over five appearances (four starts). The rookie right-hander will have a tough test when looking for a bounce-back effort next week on the road versus the Dodgers.
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Paul Blackburn RP | NYY
Mets' Paul Blackburn: Picks up win in team debut
Blackburn (5-2) claimed a win in Friday's 5-1 win over the Angels, allowing one run on six hits and two walks while striking out six over six innings.
Blackburn worked in and out of trouble in his first start with the Mets, needing two separate inning-ending double plays to get through six frames while giving up just one run. The veteran recently came off the injured list and showed enough in his first start back with Oakland for the Mets to trade for him, and he quickly rewarded New York with a solid debut. Blackburn has quality starts in five of his 10 outings this season and will carry a 4.11 ERA into his start next week versus the Rockies at Coors Field.
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Kolby Allard RP | CLE
Phillies' Kolby Allard: Working in bulk relief Saturday
Allard will serve as a bulk reliever behind opener Orion Kerkering during Saturday's game against the Mariners, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Kerkering has recorded more than three outs just three times this season, so it's likely Allard will enter Saturday's game to begin the second inning. The 26-year-old southpaw started in his Phillies debut this past Sunday against the Guardians, surrendering three earned runs in four innings while taking a no-decision.
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Brandon Nimmo RF | TEX
Mets' Brandon Nimmo: Has three hits, steal in win
Nimmo went 3-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored in Friday's 5-1 win over the Angels.
Nimmo broke out of a 4-for-49 slump over his last 13 games with a solid showing in Friday's win. It's the sixth three-hit game of the season for Nimmo. The 31-year-old has yet to be caught stealing this season as well, going a perfect 11-for-11 on steal attempts. Nimmo is having another solid season hitting .237/.352/.416 with 16 homers, 65 RBI and 64 runs scored over 103 games.