MLB Player News
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Keston Hiura 2B | LAD
Rockies' Keston Hiura: Remains in limited role
Hiura is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta.
Hiura has produced a weak .222/.333/.278 slash line in 21 plate appearances since being promoted from Triple-A Albuquerque on May 31. He'll be on the bench for the third time in the Rockies' last four matchups with right-handed starting pitchers and looks like he'll have to settle for a part-time role for the time being.
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Dominic Smith 1B | ATL
Giants' Dominic Smith: Doubles in loss
Smith went 1-for-3 with a double, a run scored and a walk in Saturday's 11-5 loss to the Dodgers.
Smith doubled to right field during the fifth inning and added a walk in the ninth before coming around to score. The 30-year-old has now logged at least one hit in four straight games, slashing .571/.625/.929 with four runs scored, three RBI, two doubles and a home run across 16 plate appearances during that span. The first baseman has provided an offensive boost since signing with the Giants on June 4, slashing .364/.395/.545 with seven RBI, four runs scored, three doubles, a homer and a stolen base across 38 plate appearances.
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Spencer Steer 1B | CIN
Reds' Spencer Steer: Taking seat Sunday
Steer is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Tigers.
Steer started the previous four games but will head to the bench Sunday. He has a .233/.267/.326 slash line and 33.3 percent strikeout rate through 12 contests in June. Christian Encarnacion-Strand will shift to first base while Connor Joe receives a start in left field.
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Casey Schmitt SS | SF
Giants' Casey Schmitt: Lifts another grand slam
Schmitt went 1-for-4 with a grand slam in Saturday's 11-5 loss to the Dodgers.
They all count the same in the box score, but Schmitt's slam Saturday was off position player Enrique Hernandez in the ninth inning. It took Schmitt 154 major-league games to get his first career grand slam, which he hit Friday before repeating the feat Saturday. He's up to three homers, 14 RBI, six runs scored, three doubles and no stolen bases while slashing .232/.329/.406 over 80 plate appearances. All three of his homers have been over his last five games as he's taken on an increased role with Matt Chapman (hand) on the IL.
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Willson Contreras C | BOS
Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Homers in win
Contreras went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in Saturday's 8-5 win over the Brewers.
Contreras padded the Cardinals' lead to 8-4 with a 397-foot home run in the ninth inning. The 33-year-old has been scorching in June, hitting safely in 11 of 13 games while tallying eight extra-base hits, 14 RBI and nine runs scored. For the year, he's slashing .255/.340/.422 with nine homers, 44 RBI, 34 runs scored and two steals across 286 plate appearances.
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Orlando Arcia SS | MIN
Rockies' Orlando Arcia: Sitting down Saturday
Arcia isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Atlanta, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Arcia went 1-for-5 in Friday's 12-4 loss to extend his hitting streak to four games. After starting at shortstop Friday, Arcia will give way to Ryan Ritter on Saturday. Ritter projects to serve as the Rockies' primary option at the position while Ezequiel Tovar (oblique) is on the shelf, but Arcia could continue to see steady at-bats while also making starts at first base, third base and designated hitter.
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Keston Hiura 2B | LAD
Rockies' Keston Hiura: Idle Saturday
Hiura isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Atlanta, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Hiura will get a day off Saturday after getting hit by a pitch twice in Friday's contest. Kyle Farmer will fill in as Colorado's first baseman and bat eighth.
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Matt Olson 1B | ATL
Braves' Matt Olson: Huge performance in rout
Olson went 3-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and three RBI in Friday's win over the Rockies.
The first baseman was at the heart of a 12-run eruption by the Atlanta offense. Olson has hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games, slashing .291/.403/.527 over that stretch with two homers, 11 runs and 13 RBI as he puts a sluggish start to the season firmly behind him.
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Christian Encarnacion-Strand 1B | CIN
Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Idle Saturday
Encarnacion-Strand isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Tigers.
In seven games since returning from the injured list, Encarnacion-Strand has gone 9-for-19 (.310) with three home runs, seven RBI and five runs scored. The Reds will give him a chance to rest Saturday while Spencer Steer starts at first base and Gavin Lux mans third.
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Casey Schmitt SS | SF
Giants' Casey Schmitt: Swats first career grand slam
Schmitt went 1-for-3 with a grand slam and a walk in Friday's 6-2 win over the Dodgers.
Schmitt gave the Giants all the offense they needed with his first career grand slam in the third inning off Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Schmitt has hit safely in four straight games, going 6-for-15 with two homers and seven RBI in that span. He's getting a run of time at third base in the absence of Matt Chapman (hand), whose return is not imminent. For the season, Schmitt is slashing .231/.333/.369 with two homers, 10 RBI, five runs scored and no stolen bases over 76 plate appearances.