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Jacob Wilson SS | ATH
Athletics' Jacob Wilson: Goes deep in win
Wilson went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 12-1 win over the Phillies.
Wilson joined Thursday's offensive outburst, turning on an Andrew Painter sinker and launching it over the left-field fence for a two-run homer to extend the Athletics' lead in the third inning. It marked the third long ball of the season for the contact-oriented shortstop, who remains in the midst of a heater. Wilson currently holds an 11-game hitting streak, during which he's slashing .349/.383/.488 with four extra-base hits, five RBI, seven runs and a stolen base.
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Maikel Garcia 3B | KC
Royals' Maikel Garcia: Pair of hits in loss
Garcia went 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI in Thursday's loss to the Guardians.
Garcia recorded his second two-hit performance in as many days, ripping a leadoff double in the top of the first inning before later driving in a run with a single in the fifth frame. The third baseman's numbers have been trending upward of late, as he's slashing .303/.351/.515 with a homer, four doubles, four RBI, four runs and two stolen bases over the past eight games.
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Liam Hicks C | TB
Marlins' Liam Hicks: Goes deep Thursday
Hicks went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in a 4-3 victory against the Orioles on Thursday.
Hicks accounted for the game's first two runs with a first-inning long ball. That was his fifth home run over his past 12 contests, a span in which he's also batting .314 (11-for-35) with 13 RBI. Hicks started at catcher Thursday, but his previous three starts came at either first base or DH. The Marlins seem committed to getting his bat in the lineup on a near-everyday basis given that he's been easily the team's most productive hitter. Hicks is slashing .319/.372/.584 with nine homers, 34 RBI (first in the majors), 20 runs, one stolen base and a 10:12 BB:K through 35 contests.
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Max Meyer SP | MIA
Marlins' Max Meyer: Finishes five frames in no-decision
Meyer allowed two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out five batters over five innings in a no-decision against Baltimore on Thursday.
Meyer wasn't as good as in his one-hit, seven-strikeout performance over seven scoreless innings against Philadelphia in his previous start, but he still kept Miami firmly in the game with just two runs on his ledger. The righty hurler also once again avoided the long ball -- he hasn't surrendered a homer in any of his past five outings. That's been a massive improvement for Meyer this season, as his HR/9 currently stands at 0.4 after it was 2.0 across his first three big-league seasons. He may be in the midst of a breakout campaign, as he's posting strong numbers with a 2.79 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 45:15 K:BB through 42 innings spanning eight starts.
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Zack Gelof 3B | ATH
Athletics' Zack Gelof: Starts again, goes deep
Gelof went 2-for-5 with a home run, a triple, three total RBI and two total runs against the Phillies in a 12-1 win Thursday.
Gelof didn't reach in either of his first two plate appearances, but he smacked a run-scoring triple in the fifth inning and followed that with a two-run homer in the seventh. The 26-year-old started for the seventh time in the A's past eight games, and he's delivered a .321 batting average with two home runs, six RBI, six runs and a stolen base during that span. Gelof has gotten starts at second base and third base as well as in center field, and he may be playing his way into a permanent roster spot even after Max Muncy (hand) and Denzel Clarke (foot) return from the injured list.
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Brent Rooker DH | ATH
Athletics' Brent Rooker: Has big part in offensive explosion
Rooker went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, an additional RBI and a walk in a 12-1 romp over Philadelphia on Thursday.
Rooker wasted no time making his presence felt, smashing a two-run blast to left field in the first inning. That was just his fourth homer of the season, though that's due in part to a stint on the injured list in mid-April. Rooker is still slashing a meager .177/.256/.342 on the campaign, but he's been showing signs of breaking out, batting .320 (8-for-25) with a pair of homers and seven RBI through his first six games of May.
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Shea Langeliers C | ATH
Athletics' Shea Langeliers: Celebrates return with long ball
Langeliers went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and an additional run scored in a 12-1 rout of the Phillies on Thursday.
Langeliers missed three games this week to be with his wife for the birth of the couple's child, but he didn't accumulate any rust during his absence. The talented backstop proved that quickly when he took Philadelphia pitcher Andrew Painter deep for a two-run homer in the first frame. Langeliers later added a single and has now posted six multi-hit performance over his past eight contests. He's been smoking hot over that stretch, batting .459 (17-for-37) with three homers, five doubles, six RBI and eight runs scored.
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Kyle Schwarber DH | PHI
Phillies' Kyle Schwarber: Belts 12th long ball
Schwarber went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to the Athletics on Thursday.
Schwarber provided Philadelphia's only run -- and lone extra-base hit -- with a solo blast to right field in the fourth inning. The long ball was the veteran slugger's first in May and at least temporarily halted a cold stretch to begin the month during which he went 3-for-24 with 12 punchouts. Schwarber's 30.7 percent strikeout rate on the campaign is on pace for his worst mark since 2017, and he's batting only .216, but he's continued to be a big power threat with 12 home runs -- tied for fourth most in the majors.
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Dennis Santana RP | ARI
Pirates' Dennis Santana: Works seventh inning
Santana threw a scoreless seventh inning while walking one to earn a hold Thursday against the Diamondbacks.
Santana blew a save and allowed four earned runs on April 27 and has not gotten a save chance in three appearances since. Meanwhile, Gregory Soto has earned two saves in that span, both of which have come in Pittsburgh's last two games. While the closer situation has been fluid between Soto and Santana early on this season, Santana has allowed at least one run in four of his last 10 appearances and has only a 5.4 K/9 across 16.2 innings on the campaign.
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Andrew Painter SP | PHI
Phillies' Andrew Painter: Decimated by Athletics
Painter (1-4) took the loss against the Athletics on Thursday, allowing eight runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out two batters over 3.2 innings.
Painter struggled from the get-go, allowing a pair of two-run homers before he retired a batter in the game. Things didn't get much better for the rookie right-hander from there, and he was pulled already trailing 7-0 and at 88 pitches with two outs in the fourth frame. Painter has been up-and-down this season, but he hadn't previously had problems with the long ball -- in fact, the three homers he gave up Thursday matched the amount he surrendered across his first six starts combined. Still, he's given up at least three runs in all but two of his outings and holds an ugly 6.89 ERA and 1.71 WHIP through 32.2 frames. At some point his spot in Philadelphia's rotation could be in jeopardy, though the team doesn't have an obvious candidate to step into his job.