MLB Player News
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Braves' Freddie Freeman: Goes yard
Freeman went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run Thursday against the Reds.
Freeman took southpaw Zach Duke deep in the eighth inning to record his third home run of the season. He has been consistent in his production to start the season, racking up at least one RBI and run in six of his last 10 games. Through 111 plate appearances, he's hitting an impressive .326/.441/.500.
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Paul Goldschmidt 1B | NYY
Cardinals' Paul Goldschmidt: On base thrice in win
Goldschmidt went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run in a win over the Brewers on Wednesday.
Goldschmidt's average sat at an unsightly .180 following an 0-for-5 day against the Dodgers on April 13. However, the slugger has subsequently hit safely in 11 straight games, a stretch during which he's laced three doubles, slugged three home runs and compiled nine RBI. He's raised his average 101 points as a result, but he'll benefit from whittling down a 26.4 percent strikeout rate that qualifies as his highest since his initial 48-game big-league cup of coffee in 2011 with the Diamondbacks.
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Wilmer Flores 1B | SF
Diamondbacks' Wilmer Flores: Heads to bench
Flores is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Pirates.
Flores will sit for the second time in the series while he continues to fall short of expectations at the plate. The 27-year-old has yet to hit a home run and is sitting on a lowly .522 OPS this season, which ranks 194th among the 209 players who have logged at least 70 plate appearances.
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Rhys Hoskins 1B | CLE
Phillies' Rhys Hoskins: Takes revenge against Mets
Hoskins went 2-for-4 with a walk, a triple, a two-run home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's 6-0 win over the Mets.
On Tuesday, Hoskins got buzzed high and tight by a couple of Jacob Rhame fastballs; on Wednesday the slugger took his revenge, ripping a Rhame fastball over the left-field fence in the ninth inning for his seventh homer of the year and then taking over half a minute to slowly and pointedly trot around the bases. The teams won't face each other again until late June, but expect tensions to be high. Hoskins now boasts a .273/.402/.580 slash line through 23 games with 20 RBI.
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Josh Bell DH | MIN
Pirates' Josh Bell: Keeps up strong start
Bell went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and walk in an 11-2 loss to the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
The Pirates first baseman has continued his impressive start. Last year, he hit just .261 with 12 homers, which are very weak numbers for a first baseman. This season, he looks more like the top prospect he was a couple years ago. Bell is hitting .299 with five home runs, 17 RBI and 15 runs in 77 at-bats this year. He's slugging .623 and has a strong walks-to-strikeouts ratio -- 11 versus 17 -- as well.
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Pete Alonso 1B | BAL
Mets' Pete Alonso: Gets day off
Alonso will sit Wednesday against the Phillies.
Alonso finds himself on the bench for just the third time this season. Dominic Smith gets the start at first base.
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Ty France 1B | SD
Padres' Ty France: Gets call to majors
France was recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Wednesday, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
France has been on a tear to start the season with El Paso, slashing .423/.500/.885 with seven doubles, nine homers and 28 RBI in 19 games for the Chihuahuas. It's unclear how much the 24-year-old will play in his first taste of the majors, but he could carve out playing time at second base if he holds his own there defensively and Luis Urias and Ian Kinsler continue to struggle. Jose Pirela (oblique) was placed on the IL in a corresponding move.
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Josh Bell DH | MIN
Pirates' Josh Bell: Comes up short Tuesday
Bell went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts against Arizona on Tuesday.
He stranded five baserunners in a 2-1 loss -- he entered the tilt hitting .643 with runners in scoring position. Prior to Tuesday, the first baseman hit .347 with four homers and 12 RBI in his last 14 games. Bell is off to a terrific start in 2019, but it will be interesting to see how he responds to his first rough performance.
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Anthony Rizzo 1B | NYY
Cubs' Anthony Rizzo: Blasts fourth home run
Rizzo went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 7-2 win over the Dodgers.
Rizzo took Los Angeles starter Kenta Maeda deep in the second inning for his fourth home run of the season. The 29-year-old slugger is still batting just .200, but he's proven over his career that he can heat up in a hurry, so maybe the long ball will start a hot streak.
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Alec Bohm 3B | PHI
Phillies' Alec Bohm: Bat heating up at Low-A
Bohm went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double and three RBI on Monday in Low-A Lakewood's 10-5 win over Rome.
The three-hit performance bumped Bohm's season average up to .367, trailing only Hagerstown's KJ Harrison (.438) for the lead among South Atlantic League qualifiers. As a 22-year-old who played three seasons at Wichita State before being selected third overall in last summer's draft, it's not surprising Bohm is finding plenty of success in his first taste of full-season ball. He probably won't be in store for a lengthy stay at Low-A.