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Bryan Torres LF | STL
Cardinals' Bryan Torres: Losing out on playing time
Torres is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mets.
Torres will hit the bench for the second game in a row and looks like he may have to settle for a fourth-outfielder role along with a backup gig at second base following the recent returns of Lars Nootbaar and Nathan Church from the injured list. Like Nootbaar and Church, Torres bats from the left side of the plate, so he won't make for a viable platoon partner for either outfielder.
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Billy Cook CF | PIT
Pirates' Billy Cook: Back in majors
The Pirates recalled Cook from Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.
With Oneil Cruz (hand) expected to spend roughly a month on the injured list, the Pirates will recall Cook from the minors to round out their outfield unit. The 27-year-old was sent down to Triple-A a few weeks after posting just a .380 OPS through 32 games with the Pirates, but he has since slashed .283/.411/.435 while adding two homers, nine RBI, 10 runs and four steals in 13 contests with Indianapolis.
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Nolan Gorman 3B | STL
Cardinals' Nolan Gorman: Heading to bench Wednesday
Gorman is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mets.
Gorman reached base on a pair of walks in Tuesday's 7-0 win in the series opener, but he remains stuck in prolonged dry spell at the dish. Dating back to May 20, Gorman has gone just 3-for-47 (.064 average) with one extra-base hit (a solo home run) while striking out at a 48.1 percent clip. The Cardinals will continue to shield Gorman from left-handed pitching, and he could be at risk of falling into more of a part-time role versus right-handers if he's unable to get his bat going soon.
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Jimmy Crooks C | STL
Cardinals' Jimmy Crooks: Exiting lineup Wednesday
Crooks is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mets.
Andre Pallante has worked in a battery with Ivan Herrera for all but one of his 12 starts this season, so Crooks will take a seat while Herrera steps in behind the plate for the middle game of the series. Since being called up from Triple-A Memphis on May 29, Crooks has started in five of the Cardinals' ensuing 11 games while going 3-for-18 with a double, two walks and two RBI.
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Oneil Cruz CF | PIT
Pirates' Oneil Cruz: Placed on IL
The Pirates placed Cruz on the 10-day injured list Wednesday, retroactive to Monday, with non-displaced fourth and fifth metacarpal fractures in his left hand.
Cruz sustained the injury during a hard slide in Saturday's contest and hasn't played since. He'll land on the injured list now that he's been confirmed to be dealing with multiple fractures, and the Pirates expect him to be sidelined for about a month, per Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com. Billy Cook was recalled from Triple-A to replenish Pittsburgh's outfield depth.
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Connor Seabold RP | KC
Blue Jays' Connor Seabold: Loses roster spot
The Blue Jays designated Seabold for assignment Wednesday.
Following his acquisition from the Tigers on May 27, Seabold made five appearances out of the Toronto bullpen and gave up three earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out one batter in 3.1 innings. The 30-year-old right-hander will give up his spot on the roster to Max Scherzer (ankle/forearm), who was reinstated from the 15-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday versus the Phillies.
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Marcell Ozuna DH | PIT
Pirates' Marcell Ozuna: Back on bench Wednesday
Ozuna is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers.
Ryan O'Hearn will get the nod at designated hitter Wednesday after Ozuna filled that spot in the lineup the previous two games while going 1-for-7 with four strikeouts. After signing a one-year, $12 million deal in February, Ozuna has been a major disappointment so far for the Pirates. He's striking out at a career-high 29.1 percent clip and has posted a .580 OPS through 50 games, a bottom-five mark among players who have logged at least 200 plate appearances.
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Oneil Cruz CF | PIT
Pirates' Oneil Cruz: Out of lineup due to hand issue
Cruz (hand) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers.
Cruz will remain on the bench for a third straight game while he continues to experience discomfort stemming from a cut to his left hand, which he sustained during a hard slide in Atlanta over the weekend. Jake Mangum will pick up a start in center field in place of Cruz, who is being viewed as day-to-day while he continues to receive treatment for the injury.
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Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Likely bound for IL
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that Smith (neck) will "most likely" be placed on the injured list, Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times reports. "We'll have to make that decision at some point in time [after Wednesday's game against the Pirates]," Roberts said.
Roberts acknowledged that the three-time All-Star is progressing, but Smith -- who will be out of the lineup Wednesday for a fourth straight game -- has missed enough time at this point that he'll require a ramp-up period before returning to action, per Jack Harris of the California Post. Dalton Rushing will step in as the Dodgers' top backstop for the duration of Smith's absence, and Los Angeles will likely call up Chuckie Robinson or Eliezer Alfonzo from Triple-A Oklahoma City prior to Thursday's series finale in Pittsburgh to serve as Rushing's understudy.
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Garrett Cleavinger RP | TB
Rays' Garrett Cleavinger: Notches second save
Cleavinger gave up one run on one hit and one walk in the ninth inning Wednesday to record his second save of the season in a 7-5 win over the Red Sox. He struck out one.
A solo shot by Caleb Durbin accounted for the damage off Cleavinger, who got the call in a save situation with Bryan Baker having pitched the prior two days. The long ball was only the second Cleavinger has served up this season, and through 15.1 innings he's produced a 4.70 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 21:9 K:BB in 15.1 innings while recording one win and eight holds over 17 appearances, in addition to his two saves.