MLB Player News
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Matt Olson 1B | ATL
Athletics' Matt Olson: Progresses to tee work
Olson (hand) took swings off a tee with his normal bat Friday, Matt Kawahara of The San Francisco Chronicle reports.
This marks another step forward for Olson, who had previously been taking swings with a fungo bat. Although this marks a small victory for the first baseman, he still has a long road ahead of him before returning from the injured list.
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Rowdy Tellez 1B | ATL
Blue Jays' Rowdy Tellez: Bows out of starting nine
Tellez isn't in Friday's starting lineup against the Athletics.
Tellez will get the night off after collecting just two hits in his past 18 at-bats (six games). Randal Grichuk will slot in as the designated hitter and bat third in his place, allowing for Socrates Brito to draw the start in center field.
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B | TOR
Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: Conflicting reports on callup
Guerrero may not debut Tuesday against the Giants, Scott Mitchell of TSN reports.
Mitchell reports that there is only a "one percent chance" of Guerrero getting called up that day unless the Blue Jays suffer an injury over the weekend. That contradicts reports from earlier in the day, which suggested that Tuesday would be Guerrero's debut. Speculation about the young third baseman's arrival will continue until his debut date is confirmed by the Blue Jays.
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Ryan O'Hearn RF | PIT
Royals' Ryan O'Hearn: On bench Friday
O'Hearn is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Yankees, Joel Goldberg of FOX Sports Kansas City reports.
O'Hearn started the last eight games but will take a seat with left-hander CC Sabathia on the mound for the Yankees. The 25-year-old collected two hits Thursday -- including a solo home run -- to bust out of an 0-for-13 slump, and is slashing .189/.348/.377 with three homers for the season.
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Asdrubal Cabrera 1B | CIN
Rangers' Asdrubal Cabrera: Returns to action Friday
Cabrera (hand) is starting at third base and batting sixth against the Astros on Friday.
Cabrera made a precautionary exit from Wednesday's game against the Angels after tweaking his hand on a dive to first base, but is good to go following Thursday's scheduled off day. The 33-year-old will look to continue his five-game hit streak in which he is 6-for-17 with three home runs and six RBI.
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B | TOR
Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: To debut Tuesday
Guerrero will be called up to make his MLB debut Tuesday at home against the Giants, Hector Gomez of Deportivo Z 101 reports.
This had long seemed like the most likely day for Guerrero to make his debut, as it afforded him a little over a week's worth of games at Triple-A while ensuring he debuted at home. He will slot in as the Blue Jays' everyday third baseman and will likely get a spot in the heart of the order from Day 1.
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B | TOR
Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: Won't debut this weekend
Guerrero will remain at Triple-A Buffalo at least through the weekend, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.
"Whenever [Buffalo manager] Bobby Meacham and [director of player development] Gil Kim say he's ready, he'll be here," Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said Thursday. "I just don't know when that's going to happen. It could be any day. It could be a month." That may sound discouraging for fantasy GMs anxiously awaiting Guerrero's arrival, but the issue primarily seems to be one of workload -- the Bisons' schedule has been interrupted by rain, and the 20-year-old has yet to suit up on three consecutive days. Assuming the weather clears enough for Guerrero to prove he's over his oblique strain and can play every day, the earliest target date for his big-league debut now appears to be April 26, when the Jays begin a home series against the A's.
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Kole Calhoun 1B | CLE
Angels' Kole Calhoun: Homers against Mariners
Calhoun went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double, two RBI and two walks in the Angels' 11-10 loss to the Mariners on Thursday.
The lefty reached base four times in this one, while also smacking his fourth homer of the season with a 414-foot solo blast off R.J. Alaniz as part of a seven-run seventh inning for the Angels. Calhoun remains below the Mendoza Line, hitting just .191 over 68 at-bats, but he's shown the tendency to be streaky in the past, so hopefully this is a sign he's set to get on track and start pumping up the low average.
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Ryan O'Hearn RF | PIT
Royals' Ryan O'Hearn: Breaks out of slump
O'Hearn went 2-for-4 with a solo homer in a 6-1 victory against the Yankees on Thursday.
The 25-year-old entered Thursday in a 2-for-31 slump (.065), including an 0-for-13 dry spell. One of those two hits was a homer, though, and O'Hearn added to that total with his slump-breaking night. He has a ways to go to climb out of his hole, but O'Hearn does already have three homers and six RBI with eight runs. O'Hearn is also batting .189 this year.
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Justin Bour 1B | SF
Angels' Justin Bour: Takes seat for series opener
Bour is out of Thursday's lineup against the Mariners.
Bour has recorded a base hit in each of his past six games, but he'll take a seat for the series opener. With Mike Trout remaining in the designated hitter slot, Albert Pujols will slot in at first base and is slated to bat cleanup.