MLB Player News
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Xavier Isaac 1B | TB
Rays' Xavier Isaac: Dialed in for RiverDogs
Isaac slashed .289/.449/.605 with three home runs and five strikeouts in 12 May games for Single-A Charleston.
The Rays selected Isaac out of high school with the 29th overall pick in last year's draft because of his bat. The 6-foot-3 lefty-hitting first baseman has 70-grade raw power, and the early returns on his hit tool are very encouraging. In May, he had a 10.2 percent strikeout rate and 20.4 percent walk rate, and his 1.25 BB/K is the fifth-best mark in the Carolina League. He missed two weeks in the middle of the month with an undisclosed injury and never landed on the injured list.
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Gabriel Arias 3B | NYM
Guardians' Gabriel Arias: Swats fourth home run
Arias went 1-for-3 with two walks and a two-run home run in Wednesday's 12-8 win over the Orioles.
Since mid-May, Arias has gotten semi-regular at-bats while playing multiple different positions, but he's slashing just .198/.298/.385 across 40 games (104 plate appearances). He's started just 28 games this year but is still tied with Josh Bell for the third-most home runs on the team (four). Despite the poor overall numbers, the Guardians will likely continue to find ways to get Arias' bat in the lineup, at least against lefties.
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Josh Naylor 1B | SEA
Guardians' Josh Naylor: Stellar performance in win
Naylor went 4-for-5 with a two-run home run, a three-run double, two additional runs scored, an additional RBI and one steal in Wednesday's 12-8 victory over the Orioles.
Over the final two matchups of a three-game series in Baltimore, Naylor collected four extra-base hits, eight RBI, four runs scored and one stolen base. Across 48 games this season, he's slashing .251/.304/.443 with eight home runs, 40 RBI, 16 runs scored and four steals. Naylor missed a couple of games in mid-May due to leg tightness and will periodically get a day off versus a tough lefty, but when he's available, he provides a powerful spark to Cleveland's otherwise lackluster offense.
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Donovan Solano 1B | TEX
Twins' Donovan Solano: Plates four runs in win
Solano went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and four RBI in an 8-2 win against Houston on Wednesday.
Solano kicked off the scoring with a two-run single in the third inning and followed with a two-run double in the sixth. Incredibly, the four RBI nearly matched Solano's season total (five) through 44 games coming into the contest. Needless to say, the veteran hasn't been much of a run producer this season, though he's slashing a respectable .275/.356/.350 over 135 plate appearances.
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Anthony Rizzo 1B | NYY
Yankees' Anthony Rizzo: Will return Friday
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that he plans for Rizzo (neck) to return to the lineup Friday against the Dodgers, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Boone also noted that Rizzo would be available off the bench for Wednesday's contest against Seattle. Rizzo has now missed three starts due to neck problems, but there seems to be a definite end in sight.
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Anthony Rizzo 1B | NYY
Yankees' Anthony Rizzo: Out again Wednesday
Rizzo (neck) remains out of the lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Mariners.
Rizzo worked out pregame, taking early batting practice and fielding some groundballs. The Yankees have ultimately decided to hold him out for the third straight game, though. Rizzo will probably be ready to go Friday following New York's team day off Thursday.
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Anthony Rizzo 1B | NYY
Yankees' Anthony Rizzo: Takes BP, fields grounders
Rizzo (neck) took early batting practice and fielded grounders pregame Wednesday, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.
The Yankees have not yet released their lineup for Wednesday's tilt in Seattle, but it would seem as though Rizzo has a good chance to be in there as long as he comes out of his pregame workout with no issues. He's missed the last two games with a stiff neck.
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Triston Casas 1B | BOS
Red Sox's Triston Casas: On bench after 0-for-5 day
Casas is out of the lineup Wednesday versus the Reds.
After an 0-for-5 effort in Tuesday's 9-8 loss, Casas' season-long batting average now sits at .193. The lefty-hitting Casas finds himself on the bench for the second game of the series, despite having the platoon advantage in his favor while right-hander Luke Weaver takes the hill for Cincinnati. Justin Turner will fill in for Casas at first base.
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Luke Raley RF | SEA
Rays' Luke Raley: On bench for series finale
Raley is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The lefty-hitting Raley started each of the past three games, but he'll head to the bench for the series finale while southpaw Justin Steele toes the rubber for Chicago. Though he doesn't have a direct path to a regular lineup spot at any one position, Raley's ability to play first base and the corner outfield or to serve as a designated hitter should afford him fairly steady playing time while he's wielding a hot bat.
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Andrew Vaughn 1B | MIL
White Sox's Andrew Vaughn: Hot stretch continues
Vaughn went 2-for-4 with two doubles, three RBI and a run scored Tuesday against the Angels.
Vaughn came to the plate with the bases loaded in the fourth inning and cleared the bases with a double. That extended his hitting streak to five games, during which he's tallied five extra-base hits, eight RBI and four runs scored. Vaughn hasn't taken a step forward this season, and he's fallen down the batting order since Eloy Jimenez and Yoan Moncada have both gotten healthy -- most recently batting sixth for the last two contests.