MLB Player News
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Pete Alonso 1B | NYM
Mets' Pete Alonso: Busts slump with homer
Alonso went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 6-3 win over the Angels.
Mired in a 2-for-33 slump over the prior 10 games, Alonso broke out by taking Jake Eder deep in the third inning before adding a single in the seventh. The slugging first baseman is up to 22 homers and 80 RBI on the season, with the latter number sitting third in the National League behind the Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suarez (86) and the Cubs' Seiya Suzuki (81).
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Otto Kemp 3B | PHI
Phillies' Otto Kemp: Out of Wednesday's lineup
Kemp is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Red Sox.
Kemp had started each of the previous four contests at third base as an injury replacement for Alec Bohm (rib), but he will begin Wednesday's contest on the bench. Edmundo Sosa will handle the hot corner and bat eighth as the Phillies try to complete the sweep.
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Michael Toglia 1B | COL
Rockies' Michael Toglia: Sitting again Wednesday
Toglia is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Toglia will take a seat for the second time in the series while he's batting just .155/.231/.239 with a 39.7 percent strikeout rate over his last 20 games. Kyle Farmer will get the nod at first base Wednesday, and Toglia could soon be headed back to Triple-A Albuquerque if he's unable to cut down on the strikeouts in his future starts.
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Matt Olson 1B | ATL
Braves' Matt Olson: Stays hot with three hits
Olson went 3-for-5 in Tuesday's loss to the Giants.
Atlanta managed only eight hits in total, so Olson's consistent presence on the basepaths didn't produce any offense in a shutout loss. The first baseman has hit safely in six straight games, and through 17 contests in July he's slashing .290/.372/.478 with four doubles, three homers, 10 runs and 12 RBI.
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Spencer Horwitz 1B | PIT
Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: Shines again in leadoff spot
Horwitz went 3-for-4 with a walk, two doubles, two runs scored and two RBI in Tuesday's 8-5 win over the Tigers.
The 27-year-old first baseman has been getting regular turns as the Pirates' leadoff hitter against right-handed pitching in July, and Horwitz has begun to take advantage of the opportunity. He's racked up seven hits across the last three games, an impressive turnaround after he'd gone 2-for-25 in his prior eight contests. On the season, Horwitz is slashing .249/.318/.348 with two homers, 19 RBI and 22 runs in 201 plate appearances.
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Eric Wagaman 1B | MIA
Marlins' Eric Wagaman: Sitting amid struggles
Wagaman is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Padres.
Since the beginning of July, Wagaman is slashing just .119/.229/.143 with one extra-base hit (a double) in 13 games, and his ongoing struggles appear to be costing him some playing time. He'll take a seat for the second time in the series as Liam Hicks replaces him at first base.
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Spencer Steer 1B | CIN
Reds' Spencer Steer: Getting rested Wednesday
Steer is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals.
Steer has been nursing a sore quadriceps in recent days, but his absence from the lineup Wednesday appears to be more of a maintenance day with the Reds wrapping up their series in Washington with a day game after a night game. Santiago Espinal will step in at first base in place of Steer, who had started each of the Reds' previous 15 contests.
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Jake Bauers RF | MIL
Brewers' Jake Bauers: Eyeing mid-August return
Bauers received a cortisone injection for his shoulder over the All-Star break, Jack Stern of BrewerFanatic.com reports.
Bauers will continue to receive treatment on his shoulder and sees mid-August as a possible return window. He had been going through some struggles at the plate before being placed on the IL, which may have been the result of playing through the shoulder discomfort that has sidelined him.
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Esmerlyn Valdez OF | PIT
Pirates' Esmerlyn Valdez: Bumped to Double-A
Valdez is batting .182 with zero home runs and an 8:4 K:BB in 10 games since getting promoted from High-A Greensboro to Double-A Altoona on July 1.
A righty-hitting corner bat who won't offer much defensive value, Valdez slashed .303/.385/.592 with 20 home runs, a 9.9 percent walk rate and a 24.5 percent strikeout rate in 72 games at High-A prior to his promotion. His 172 wRC+ ranks second among all qualified High-A hitters, behind Josue Briceno (180 wRC+). As a 21-year-old bat-first player, Valdez will be expected to do plenty of damage at Double-A over the rest of the season.