-
Konnor Griffin SS | PIT
Pirates' Konnor Griffin: Continuing rehab in Florida
Griffin will report to the Pirates' facility in Bradenton on Sunday to continue rehabbing his right forearm strain, Aidan Stepansky of MLB.com reports.
Griffin began playing catch out to 90 feet Wednesday and is expected to gradually increase the distance and intensity of his throwing while he's in Florida. The standout rookie has been on the shelf since May 31 but could return to action before the end of June, depending on how quickly he's able to resume full baseball activities.
-
Jackson Merrill CF | SD
Padres' Jackson Merrill: Contributes homer Saturday
Merrill went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk versus the Orioles in Saturday's 9-3 win.
Merrill opened the scoring with a two-run blast in the first inning. That was the initial salvo in what would become a five-homer day for San Diego's offense. The long ball was Merrill's second in what has been a rough June so far, as he's slashing just .178/.229/.378 through 11 contests this month. However, four of his eight knocks during that stretch have gone for extra bases, and his 20.8 percent strikeout rate in June is an improvement on his 24.2 percent mark overall on the campaign.
-
Gavin Sheets 1B | SD
Padres' Gavin Sheets: Swats homer Saturday
Sheets went 1-for-5 with a solo home run against Baltimore in a 9-3 victory Saturday.
Sheets was one of five Padres to go deep in the win, and his seventh-inning solo shot off Albert Suarez gave the team a 7-2 lead. The veteran slugger has played a key role in the offense this season, ranking second in homers (11) and RBI (30). Sheets' defensive versatility has also been useful, as he's jumped around between first base and right field while also logging starts at DH.
-
Bryan Reynolds LF | PIT
Pirates' Bryan Reynolds: Five-game hitting streak
Reynolds went 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI on Saturday against the Marlins.
Reynolds delivered an RBI double in the third inning to give the Pirates the lead and extend his hitting streak to five games. He has two doubles and a home run in that span, continuing a resurgent season. Reynolds is on pace to top both 80 RBI and 80 runs scored thanks to a .265 batting average and .386 OBP across 306 plate appearances.
-
Stuart Fairchild CF | SEA
Guardians' Stuart Fairchild: Moves around outfield in win
Fairchild started in center field and went 2-for-2 with a stolen base in Saturday's 3-1 win over Detroit. He was also hit by a pitch.
Fairchild had to move mid-game, from center to right field, when Chase DeLauter (ribs) was removed. Later, Angel Martinez (foot) made an early exit. Fairchild's been used sparingly since his contract was selected from Triple-A Columbus at the end of May, but if DeLauter and/or Martinez need extended absences, Fairchild would see an uptick in playing time.
-
Rodolfo Duran C | SD
Padres' Rodolfo Duran: Homers after late entry
Duran hit a solo home run in his only plate appearance during Saturday's 9-3 win against the Orioles.
Freddy Fermin started behind the plate but had to leave after taking a warm-up pitch from Yuki Matsui to the head area in the sixth inning. Duran finished out the contest and took Albert Suarez deep in the eighth. Luis Campusano remains on the IL due to a toe injury, so if Fermin needs to miss additional time, Duran figures to take over as the Padres' primary catcher.
-
TJ Rumfield 1B | COL
Rockies' TJ Rumfield: Two doubles against A's
Rumfield went 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored Saturday against the A's.
Rumfield hit doubles in consecutive plate appearances in the fourth and fifth innings, marking his third straight game with an extra-base hit. After slumping to start June, Rumfield is in the midst of a four-game hitting streak, during which he has gone 7-for-14 with three RBI and three runs scored.
-
Manny Machado 3B | SD
Padres' Manny Machado: Pops 12th long ball
Machado went 1-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in a 9-3 win against Baltimore on Saturday.
San Diego belted five homers as a team, and Machado capped the long-ball fest with a 429-foot shot to center field in the ninth inning. The star third baseman is still trying to climb out of an early hole and remains saddled with a poor .178/.255/.364 slash line on the campaign. However, Machado does lead San Diego with 12 home runs and 35 RBI, and he's showing signs of busting out of the season-long slump. Over his past four contests, he's gone 6-for-18 with five extra-base hits (four doubles and a homer) along with three RBI.
-
Daniel Schneemann CF | CLE
Guardians' Daniel Schneemann: Likely candidate at third base
Schneemann is the most likely candidate to fill in at third base after Jose Ramirez suffered a fractured left hamate bone Saturday, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
The utility player had already entered Saturday's game for injured outfielder Chase DeLauter (ribs) but moved to the hot corner after Ramirez exited. Schneemann's the most likely candidate to cover for Ramirez, having made 43 career starts and 63 appearances at third base. David Fry is another option, but he's handled only 18 career innings at the hot corner. If Guardians manager Stephen Vogt wants to leave Schneemann in a more versatile role -- which the manager values -- the team could bring Gabriel Arias (hamstring) off the 60-day IL to mix in at third base as well.
-
Paul Goldschmidt 1B | NYY
Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt: Slugs game-winning homer
Goldschmidt went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in a 3-1 victory versus Toronto on Saturday.
The score was tied 1-1 when Goldschmidt came to the plate in the top of the ninth and drove a Louis Varland offspeed pitch over the left-field wall to provide the decisive runs for the Yankees. Goldschmidt extended his hitting streak to six games with the blast, and he's slashing .375/.407/.625 with two homers and eight RBI during that stretch. With Aaron Judge (ribs), Giancarlo Stanton (calf) and Trent Grisham (hamstring) all on the injured list, Goldschmidt's role in New York's offense has taken on extra significance. He's been a regular in the lineup since mid-May and has stepped up with an .889 OPS, nine homers, 31 RBI, 24 runs and a stolen base over 170 plate appearances on the campaign.