MLB Player News
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Pete Alonso 1B | BAL
Orioles' Pete Alonso: Erupts for two homers
Alonso went 3-for-3 with two home runs, two walks, four RBI and an additional run scored in Sunday's 10-5 win over the Rangers.
Alonso reached base in all five of his plate appearances and recorded his first multi-homer game as an Oriole, launching two-run shots in back-to-back at-bats. The huge performance came after Alonso entered Sunday with just one extra-base hit while batting .160 through seven August games. With 25 on the season now, he's on pace to reach 30 home runs for the seventh time in his career and sixth consecutive season, though his overall production has slipped compared to his usual standards, with a .472 slugging percentage and .818 OPS.
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Ben Rice 1B | NYY
Yankees' Ben Rice: Snaps homer drought Saturday
Rice went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Saturday in a 5-4 win over Atlanta.
Rice bashed a 431-foot solo shot to center field in the eighth inning, providing what ended up being the decisive run in the narrow victory. The long ball snapped a season-long 11-game homer drought for the slugger -- a stretch during which he batted just .132 (5-for-38) with a 9:15 BB:K and only two RBI. Rice has already established career-best marks with 32 home runs and 75 RBI on the campaign, though he's struggled to a .611 OPS with a 32.6 percent strikeout rate over 21 games since the All-Star break.
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Josh Naylor 1B | SEA
Mariners' Josh Naylor: Big game in loss
Naylor went 3-for-4 with two solo home runs, a double and a stolen base in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Rays.
Naylor was the engine of the Mariners' offense in this contest, accounting for three of their eight hits. He had gone 0-for-9 over his previous three games, but he was batting .328 over the first 16 contests after the All-Star break before he hit the mini-slump. Naylor has struggled in the power department this season -- Saturday's performance finally got him to the 10-homer mark. He's added 23 steals, 42 RBI, 44 runs scored and 17 doubles while batting .262 with a .698 OPS through 110 contests.
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Rhys Hoskins 1B | CLE
Guardians' Rhys Hoskins: Blasts homer in loss
Hoskins went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the White Sox.
This was Hoskins' first multi-hit effort since July 20 versus the Twins. The first baseman continues to fill a part-time role, now working as a platoon partner with Nathaniel Lowe, who was acquired from Cincinnati at the trade deadline. Hoskins is batting .183 with a .703 OPS, 13 homers, 38 RBI, 33 runs scored, 13 doubles and a stolen base over 304 plate appearances this season. Considering Hoskins hasn't started against a right-hander since July 23, expect him to be platooned heavily for the remainder of the year.
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Munetaka Murakami 1B | CHW
White Sox's Munetaka Murakami: Homers again Saturday
Murakami went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Guardians.
Murakami's sixth-inning blast sparked a five-run rally for the White Sox. The infielder has homered six times and added 11 RBI over his last 13 games, going 14-for-53 (.264) with a 7:22 BB:K in that span. On the year, he's batting .237 with a .910 OPS, 26 homers, 53 RBI, 61 runs scored, 10 doubles and one stolen base over 81 contests.
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B | TOR
Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero: Returns to action Saturday
Guerrero (hamstring) returned to action Saturday evening against the Phillies and homered in his first at-bat against Aaron Nola.
Guerrero has been nursing hamstring and back issues in the midst of a terribly disappointing season. The homer Saturday night was his seventh of the season -- all on the road. With two hits in his first four plate appearances Saturday night, his slugging percentage remains paltry at .359.
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Vinnie Pasquantino 1B | KC
Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino: Could begin rehab stint Tuesday
Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Pasquantino (wrist) may begin a minor-league rehab assignment Tuesday, Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star reports.
Pasquantino landed on the IL due to right wrist soreness July 29. The first baseman underwent surgery in mid-June to remove a fractured hamate bone, and the soreness was presumably related to that procedure. However, Pasquantino appears to be doing better with some time off, and if he does indeed begin a rehab stint Tuesday, he could be back with Kansas City shortly thereafter.
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Willson Contreras 1B | BOS
Red Sox's Willson Contreras: Back in lineup
Contreras (illness) will start at first base and bat fourth against the Athletics on Saturday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Contreras missed the Red Sox's last two games while fighting off an illness, but he appears to be feeling well enough to return to action Saturday. The 34-year-old has remained hot since the All-Star break, slashing .306/.485/.531 with three homers, nine RBI and 11 runs scored over his last 17 games.
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Willson Contreras 1B | BOS
Red Sox's Willson Contreras: Back at ballpark Friday
Contreras (illness) returned to Fenway Park on Friday and participated in baseball activities, MLB.com reports.
Contreras was removed from Wednesday's game with dizziness and high temperatures. He could possibly return to the lineup Saturday.
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Spencer Torkelson 1B | DET
Tigers' Spencer Torkelson: Knocks three hits Friday
Torkelson went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Giants.
This was Torkelson's sixth multi-hit effort over his last 11 games, a span in which he's hitting .378 (17-for-45). The first baseman has added just two extra-base hits and eight RBI in that span. For the year, he's batting .224 with a .733 OPS, 20 home runs, 58 RBI, 52 runs scored, 19 doubles and no stolen bases over 115 games.