MLB Player News
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Bobby Dalbec 1B | CHW
Red Sox's Bobby Dalbec: Starts at shortstop
Dalbec started at shortstop and went 0-for-4 in Wednesday's 9-7 loss to the Rays.
Dalbec made his second career start at shortstop, and it was an inauspicious one. He booted a grounder in the first inning that helped lead to Tampa Bay scoring three times. Dalbec is familiar with that side of the infield, having come up through the system as a third baseman, but he doesn't have a defensive home on this year's club. He's expected to remain up with the team while the Red Sox are projected to face four straight lefties through the weekend, but Dalbec could be back in the minors after that stretch.
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Vinnie Pasquantino 1B | KC
Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino: Slugs second homer
Pasquantino went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, an additional run and a walk in Wednesday's 10-1 rout of the Rangers.
Pasquantino knocked a 388-foot homer in the third inning for his second long ball of the campaign. The first baseman extended his on-base streak to eight games, and he's slashing .385/.500/.769 over that stretch. As he did as a rookie last year, Pasquantino has demonstrated elite command of the strike zone in 2023 -- he has a 16.3 percent walk rate that matches his 16.3 percent strikeout rate through 49 plate appearances.
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Pete Alonso 1B | BAL
Mets' Pete Alonso: Launches sixth homer
Alonso went 2-for-3 with a walk, a solo home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Padres.
His fifth-inning shot off Blake Snell was Alonso's sixth homer in 13 games to begin the season. The first baseman is batting .250 (12-for-48) with 12 RBI and 11 runs scored, and he seems intent on not just reaching 40 homers as he did in 2022, but matching or topping the career-high 53 he slugged as a rookie in 2019.
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LaMonte Wade 1B | CHW
Giants' LaMonte Wade: Sitting out Wednesday
Wade is out of the lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Dodgers, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
The Giants are going with a right-handed heavy lineup against Clayton Kershaw in the Dodgers, so Wade will get a night off against the future Hall of Famer. Wilmer Flores gets the start at first while Darin Ruf will make his 2023 season debut for the Giants as the designated hitter.
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Joey Votto 1B | TOR
Reds' Joey Votto: Struggling during rehab assignment
Votto (shoulder/biceps) has gone 4-for-32 with three walks and 20 strikeouts through the first eight games of his rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville.
Votto hasn't suffered any reported setbacks with his surgically repaired left shoulder or biceps since beginning the rehab assignment April 1, but he's clearly struggling to get his timing back at the plate. Elite plate discipline and stellar bat-to-ball skills have been foundational traits for Votto throughout his career, so it's especially troubling that he's struck out in 55.6 percent of his plate appearances at Triple-A thus far. Votto was initially expected to return from the 10-day injured list when he was first eligible April 6, but his activation looks as though it'll be delayed until he can show some semblance of progress during his rehab assignment.
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Luke Raley RF | SEA
Rays' Luke Raley: Sitting against lefty
Raley is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The lefty-hitting Raley will see a string of four straight starts come to an end with Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash opting to play matchups against Boston southpaw Chris Sale. Tampa Bay is going with an all-righty-hitting outfield of Randy Arozarena, Manuel Margot and Harold Ramirez from left to right.
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Darick Hall 1B | PIT
Phillies' Darick Hall: Out two months after surgery
Hall underwent surgery Wednesday to repair the UCL in his right thumb and is expected to remain out for two months.
The timetable provided by the Phillies is an approximation but offers a general idea of when Hall might be back in action. Kody Clemens and Alec Bohm have been handling first base in Hall's absence and should continue to receive the bulk of the starts at the position over the next two months. Edmundo Sosa should also see extra opportunities to cover third base on the occasions Bohm is manning first base.
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Yandy Diaz 1B | TB
Rays' Yandy Diaz: In Wednesday's lineup
Diaz (shoulder) is in the Rays' lineup Wednesday versus the Red Sox as their designated hitter and leadoff man.
Diaz was pulled from Tuesday's contest after landing on his left shoulder, but he checked out fine and is back in there a day later as the Rays try to run their record to 12-0. With Diaz at DH, Tampa Bay has Isaac Paredes at first base and Taylor Walls at third.
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Spencer Steer 1B | CIN
Reds' Spencer Steer: Gets day of rest Wednesday
Steer is out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against Atlanta.
Steer will sit Wednesday with Jason Vosler getting the start at the hot corner. The 25-year-old infielder has performed well to begin the season with a 1.000 OPS and a pair of homers over 40 plate appearances.
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Yuli Gurriel DH | SD
Marlins' Yuli Gurriel: Makes fourth straight start
Gurriel will start at first base and bat fifth Wednesday against the Phillies, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
He'll be making his fourth straight start, with the lineup spot opening up by Garrett Cooper (upper leg) sitting out and Avisail Garcia (hamstring) missing his third consecutive game. Gurriel has recorded at least one hit in all six games he's played this season and is sitting on a .981 OPS.