MLB Player News
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Joey Votto 1B | TOR
Reds' Joey Votto: Remains on bench for nightcap
Votto (back) isn't starting the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Pirates.
Votto has been dealing with back tightness recently and will remain out of the lineup for a fourth consecutive game. He didn't appear in the first game of the twin bill, and it's not clear whether he'll be available off the bench during the nightcap. Mike Moustakas is starting at first base and batting sixth.
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Dominic Smith 1B | ATL
Mets' Dominic Smith: Retreats to bench versus lefty
Smith is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Marlins.
After going 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles, two runs and an RBI in Wednesday's 8-3 win over the Reds, the lefty-hitting Smith is beginning to make a case for playing more regularly against right-handed pitching. However, he'll head to the bench Thursday with southpaw Daniel Castano on the hill for Miami, affording J.D. Davis an opportunity to serve as the Mets' designated hitter.
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Alec Bohm 3B | PHI
Phillies' Alec Bohm: Takes seat Thursday
Bohm is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the Nationals.
Bohm will get a breather after he went 5-for-16 with a triple, three RBI and two runs over the last four games. Matt Vierling will take over at third base and bat eighth in the series finale.
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Joey Votto 1B | TOR
Reds' Joey Votto: Sitting for first game of twin bill
Votto (back) is out of the lineup for the first game of Thursday's doubleheader with the Pirates.
Even if back tightness hadn't kept him out of the lineup the past two days, Votto may have been a candidate to sit out one game of the doubleheader. As such, Votto could still have a chance at being ready to go for the nightcap, depending how much progress he made overnight in his recovery from the back issue. Mike Moustakas will cover first base in Votto's stead for Game 1.
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Keston Hiura 2B | LAD
Brewers' Keston Hiura: Slugs eighth homer
Hiura went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Wednesday against the Cubs.
Hiura took Adrian Sampson yard in the fifth inning to account for Milwaukee's only run of the game. Hiura has eight home runs on the season, three of which have come in his last nine games. Despite the hot stretch, he remains a part-time player for the Brewers and is striking out at a 44.7 percent clip across 132 plate appearances on the campaign.
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Wilmer Flores 1B | SF
Giants' Wilmer Flores: Heads to bench Wednesday
Flores is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Flores is 3-for-18 with a double, nine walks, an RBI and three runs over his past eight games and will take a seat Wednesday. David Villar will start at third base while Tommy La Stella works at the keystone.
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Joey Votto 1B | TOR
Reds' Joey Votto: Dealing with back tightness
Votto isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mets due to back tightness, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Votto was absent from Tuesday's lineup due to what manager David Bell called a "recovery day," but Bell revealed that the first baseman's exclusion from Wednesday's starting nine is due to a back issue. The 38-year-old should be considered day-to-day for now, but Donovan Solano should continue to see increased at-bats if Votto is forced to miss additional time.
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Donovan Solano 1B | TEX
Reds' Donovan Solano: Hitting fifth Wednesday
Solano will start at third base and bat fifth in Wednesday's game against the Mets.
With southpaw David Peterson on the bump for the Mets, the righty-hitting Solano will slot into a prominent spot in the batting order while the Reds send several key lefty-hitting regulars to the bench. Solano has now started in 10 times in 15 games since coming off the 60-day injured list June 21, but moving forward, his starting opportunities could be limited largely to when the Reds oppose lefty pitchers now that the team has all of its everyday players back from the IL with the exception of No. 1 catcher Tyler Stephenson (thumb).
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Joey Votto 1B | TOR
Reds' Joey Votto: Sitting once again
Votto isn't starting Wednesday against the Mets.
Votto will be out of the lineup for a second consecutive matchup after he went 0-for-13 with three walks and five strikeouts over his last four games. Brandon Drury is shifting to first base while Donovan Solano starts at the hot corner.
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Rowdy Tellez 1B | ATL
Brewers' Rowdy Tellez: Connects on home run No. 17
Tellez went 1-for-3 with a walk and a two-run home run in Tuesday's 8-3 loss to the Cubs.
Tellez staked the Brewers to an early 2-0 lead when he took Kyle Hendricks deep in the first inning, but the Milwaukee offense went cold for the next seven frames before putting a run on the board in the bottom of the ninth. The home run was Tellez's 17th of the season and was his 10th consecutive hit that went for extra bases, tying a franchise record previously set by Ryan Thompson in 2002.