MLB Player News
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Blue Jays' Tyler Heineman: Hitting bench Sunday
Heineman is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.
After a recent bout with back spasms, Heineman returned to the lineup Thursday and started three straight games, going 1-for-9 with an RBI and a run scored. Though Brandon Valenzuela will get the nod behind the plate Sunday, Heineman could be the Blue Jays' preferred option at catcher until Alejandro Kirk (thumb) is ready to return from the injured list.
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Dominic Canzone LF | SEA
Mariners' Dominic Canzone: Taking seat against lefty
Canzone is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.
Canzone will take a seat along with fellow left-handed hitters Luke Raley, Brendan Donovan (hip) and Josh Naylor while the Rangers send southpaw MacKenzie Gore to the hill. With Canzone on the bench, Cal Raleigh will get a day off from catching but will remain in the lineup at designated hitter.
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Luke Raley RF | SEA
Mariners' Luke Raley: Idle for series finale
Raley is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.
After a stretch of nine consecutive starts, the left-handed-hitting Raley will hit the bench Sunday while southpaw MacKenzie Gore toes the rubber for Texas. With Raley sitting, Rob Refsnyder will enter the starting nine in right field and will bat leadoff.
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Brendan Donovan 2B | SEA
Mariners' Brendan Donovan: Sitting again due to sore hip
Donovan (hip) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.
He'll take a seat for the second day in a row while he manages a sore left hip, but the Mariners haven't yet indicated that Donovan is at major risk of landing on the 10-day injured list. Leo Rivas will spell Donovan at third base in the series finale.
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Mariners' Josh Naylor: Idle for series finale
Naylor is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.
With a tough lefty (MacKenzie Gore) on the hill for Texas and with the Mariners and Rangers wrapping up their series with a day game, Naylor will be handed his second day off of the season. Connor Joe will enter the starting nine as Naylor's replacement at first base.
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Ezequiel Duran SS | TEX
Josh Smith RP | MIA
Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Sitting in series finale
Duran is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners.
Duran had started in seven of the Rangers' previous eight games, but he'll hit the bench Sunday for the second time in the series. Despite a slow start to the season, Josh Smith still appears to be viewed as the Rangers' top option at second base, though Duran will likely spell him against most left-handed pitching and should also continue to see semi-regular opportunities versus righties due to his ability to play all over the infield as well as both corner-outfield spots. Duran has been productive when called upon this season, slashing .289/.347/.422 with one home run and three stolen bases over 49 plate appearances.
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Oswald Peraza 3B | LAA
Jorge Soler DH | LAA
Angels' Oswald Peraza: Back to bench in Soler's return
Peraza is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres.
Peraza went 7-for-18 (.389 average) with two home runs, one double, three walks, two stolen bases, four RBI and four runs while starting in each of the last five games at either second base or third base, but the Angels won't have room for him in the lineup Sunday while the team welcomes Jorge Soler (suspension) back from a four-game absence. Though he looks set to move back into more of a part-time role with the Angels back to full strength, Peraza has multiple paths to playing time.
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Jorge Soler DH | LAA
Jo Adell RF | LAA
Angels' Jorge Soler: Batting cleanup in return
Soler will start at designated hitter and bat cleanup in Sunday's game against the Padres.
After completing his four-game suspension Saturday, Soler will slot back into his typical spot in the heart of the Angels lineup for the series finale. Jo Adell will move down to the No. 6 spot in the order after occupying the cleanup spot during three of the four games that Soler was out.
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Padres' Ty France: On bench, but playing time on rise
France is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.
France will head to the bench after he went 6-for-16 with a solo home run, a double and three additional runs while starting at first base in five of the Padres' previous six games. The Padres have an opening in their everyday lineup for one of France, Miguel Andujar and Nick Castellanos, and manager Craig Stammen looks like he could ride the hottest bat of the trio in the short term until one player clearly separates himself from the others.
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Freddy Fermin C | SD
Padres' Freddy Fermin: Resting up Sunday
Fermin is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.
After taking a foul tip off his catcher's mask and being forced out of Wednesday's 7-6 win over the Mariners, Fermin didn't appear in the Padres' subsequent two games. He returned to the lineup Saturday and caught all nine innings of the Padres' 4-1 win, going 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs. Fermin didn't experience any reported setbacks coming out of that contest, so he's presumably just getting some rest for a day game after a night game.