MLB Player News
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Andres Chaparro 1B | WAS
Nationals' Andres Chaparro: Swats first homer of year
Chaparro went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Wednesday's 11-2 loss to the Yankees.
Getting the start at first base and batting sixth against southpaw Max Fried, Chaparro didn't have much success at the plate until the ninth inning, when he crushed a hanging curve from Paul Blackburn 411 feet over the left-field fence. It was Chaparro's first homer in 10 games with the Nationals this season, and since being called back up in mid-August, the 26-year-old has gone 4-for-13 (.308) with a double, a homer and a 3:4 BB:K, primarily as a short-side platoon option. Wednesday's long ball off a right-hander might encourage interim manager Miguel Cairo to expand Chaparro's role over the final weeks of the season.
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Sitting with stinger
Freeman is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds due to a stinger, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
The veteran first baseman presumably suffered or aggravated the injury during Tuesday's contest, during which he went 1-for-4 with a double. Freeman is expected to rejoin the starting nine Friday versus the Diamondbacks following Thursday's team off day.
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Ty France 1B | SD
Blue Jays' Ty France: Retreating to bench
France is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins.
France went 4-for-23 at the plate while starting in each of the Blue Jays' last seven games, but he'll head back to the bench Wednesday and is likely to see his playing time get scaled back moving forward. Five of those starts came while Vladimir Guerrero was out of the lineup due to a hamstring injury, but he served as the Blue Jays' designated hitter in the previous two contests and will return to his usual home at first base Wednesday.
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Luis Arraez 2B | SF
Padres' Luis Arraez: Rare day off Wednesday
Arraez is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest in Seattle.
Arraez had started every game since May 27 for the Padres, but he'll take a seat in Wednesday's series finale as he battles through a 2-for-18 slump at the plate. Jake Cronenworth will slide over to first base and Jose Iglesias will man second base in the rubber match.
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Troy Johnston RF | COL
Marlins' Troy Johnston: Exiting starting nine Wednesday
Johnston is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against Atlanta.
With a lefty (Joey Wentz) on the hill for Atlanta, the left-handed-hitting Johnston will head to the bench for the series finale. Johnston had started in each of Miami's last seven games at first base or in left or right field, going 8-for-20 with one double, two walks and three RBI during that stretch.
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Bobby Seymour 1B | TB
Rays' Bob Seymour: Out versus right-hander
Seymour is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game in Cleveland, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
Guardians right-handed starter Slade Cecconi has slight reverse splits, which helps explain why the left-handed-hitting Seymour will sit against a righty for the first time since he was promoted from Triple-A Durham earlier this month. Yandy Diaz will handle first base in Wednesday's rubber match.
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Paul Goldschmidt 1B | NYY
Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt: Idle for series finale
Goldschmidt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals.
Goldschmidt had started in three of the Yankees' last four games -- twice against left-handers, once against a right-hander -- and went 5-for-13 with a pair of doubles during that stretch to bring his OPS up to .876 for August. Though he's performed well at the dish this month, Goldschmidt's season-long numbers versus right-handed pitching still leave much to be desired, so he may have to settle for a part-time role in those matchups. He'll cede first base to Ben Rice in the series finale while righty Cade Cavalli takes the hill for Washington.
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Spencer Steer LF | CIN
Reds' Spencer Steer: Bats leadoff Tuesday
Steer went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Dodgers.
Steer was moved to the leadoff spot, as manager Terry Francona trotted out an all right-handed-hitting lineup against Los Angeles lefty Clayton Kershaw, which meant usual leadoff batter TJ Friedl got the night off. Steer typically bats in the middle of the order, usually fifth or sixth.
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Pete Alonso 1B | BAL
Mets' Pete Alonso: Plates two in four-hit game
Alonso went 4-for-5 with a double, two RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's 6-5 win over the Phillies.
The four-hit game was Alonso's second of the year, with both such efforts coming in the month of August. Alonso is batting a strong .286 with seven home runs, seven doubles and 24 RBI over his last 98 at-bats as New York's top cleanup hitter. The All-Star slugger also has at least one knock in 16 of his last 23 outings.
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Willson Contreras 1B | BOS
Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Appealing six-game ban
Major League Baseball issued Contreras a six-game suspension for his actions in Monday's 7-6 win over the Pirates, but he remains in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against Pittsburgh while he appeals the decision, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
The 33-year-old disagreed with some called strikes during his seventh-inning plate appearance Monday, and the situation escalated as he continued to argue with the umpire following his ejection. It's a hefty ban for Contreras, which is owed mostly to the fact that he threw his bat in the direction of the umpire that instead hit his own coach. The suspension could be reduced by a couple games, and Contreras will be available to play until his appeal his heard.