MLB Player News
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Christian Encarnacion-Strand 1B | CIN
Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Resting Saturday
Encarnacion-Strand is not in the Reds' starting lineup against the Pirates on Saturday.
Encarnacion-Strand will get a rest day after going 0-for-8 with three strikeouts over his last two games. Noelvi Marte will make his first start of 2025 at third base while Jeimer Candelario shifts to first base.
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Nate Lowe 1B | CIN
Nationals' Nathaniel Lowe: Comes through as pinch hitter
Lowe (illness) collected three RBI with a bases-loaded, pinch-hit double in Friday's win over the Marlins.
The first baseman was held out of the starting lineup due to an illness, but Lowe looked plenty fit when he came to the plate in the eighth inning and put the Nationals in the lead for good with a two-bagger into the left-field corner off Anthony Bender. Through his first 13 games with Washington, the 29-year-old is slashing .261/.320/.543 with three homers and 12 RBI.
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Alec Burleson LF | STL
Cardinals' Alec Burleson: Not starting against lefty
Burleson isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Phillies, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Burleson is currently enjoying a five-game hitting streak, but the Cardinals will move him to the bench in preparation for a matchup against left-hander Cristopher Sanchez. Luken Baker steps in as St. Louis' designated hitter, batting second.
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Pete Alonso 1B | BAL
Mets' Pete Alonso: Clubs fourth homer
Alonso went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and three RBI in Friday's 7-6 win over the A's.
The Polar Bear's eighth-inning solo shot off Jose Leclerc gave the Mets their final run of the night, and crucial insurance given Edwin Diaz stumbled in the ninth trying to protect a three-run lead. Alonso is one of the hottest hitters in the majors right now, and over the last 10 games he's batting .444 (16-for-36) with six doubles, four homers and 18 RBI.
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LaMonte Wade 1B | CHW
Giants' LaMonte Wade: Knocks in three runs Friday
Wade went 1-for-3 with one run scored, two walks and three RBI in Friday's 9-1 rain-shortened win over the Yankees.
Wade played a big role in chasing Marcus Stroman in the first inning, when the former smacked a double to right field to bring home Matt Chapman and Heliot Ramos. Wade brought home another run in the sixth frame when he drew a bases-loaded walk at the top of the sixth inning in what was ultimately the final play of the game due to inclement weather. Wade entered Friday's game having gone 0-for-15 with seven strikeouts over his last five games and was demoted from leadoff to the sixth spot in the lineup for this game.
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Returns from IL
The Dodgers reinstated Freeman (ankle) from the 10-day injured list Friday.
Freeman has been sidelined since March 31 after slipping in the shower and tweaking his surgically repaired right ankle, but he'll now return to the Dodgers' lineup after a minimum-length IL stint. Prior to his injury, the star first baseman had gone 3-for-12 with two home runs and four RBI in three games.
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Nate Lowe 1B | CIN
Nationals' Nathaniel Lowe: Scratched from Friday's lineup
Lowe was removed from Friday's starting lineup against the Marlins due to an illness, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
With Lowe under the weather, Josh Bell will shift to first base, James Wood will serve as the designated hitter and Alex Call will start in left field. It's unclear if Lowe's illness is severe enough for him to be in jeopardy of missing the following two games of the series against Miami.
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LaMonte Wade 1B | CHW
Giants' LaMonte Wade: Demoted to six hole Friday
Wade is starting at first base and batting sixth in Friday's contest against the Yankees.
Each of Wade's first nine starts this season came from the leadoff spot, but he's been demoted -- at least temporarily -- after going hitless across his last five games. Mike Yastrzemski has been elevated to the leadoff spot for the Giants on Friday.
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Enmanuel Valdez 2B | PIT
Pirates' Enmanuel Valdez: Getting shot at leadoff spot
Valdez is starting at second base and hitting leadoff in Friday's contest against the Reds.
Valdez becomes the sixth different leadoff hitter the Pirates have had in their first 14 games this season. The 26-year-old is also making his first start at second base for Pittsburgh, as each of his first five starts had all been at first base.
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Matt Mervis 1B | WAS
Marlins' Matt Mervis: Not starting versus lefty
Mervis is out of the lineup for Friday's contest versus the Nationals.
Southpaw Mitchell Parker is on the bump for the Nationals, so the left-handed-hitting Mervis will begin the series opener on the bench. Mervis has homered three times over his last four games but remains in a strict platoon, with all nine of his starts coming against righties. Jonah Bride is at first base Friday.