MLB Player News
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Paul DeJong 3B | WAS
Nationals' Paul DeJong: Three hits in Sunday's win
DeJong went 3-for-3 with two doubles in Sunday's win over the Phillies.
After an 0-for-6 start to his Nationals tenure with five strikeouts, DeJong broke out with two-baggers off Aaron Nola and Jose Ruiz. The veteran infielder is just a placeholder at third base for Washington, but he slugged 24 homers in 139 games last year between the White Sox and Royals and he could provide some thump from the bottom half of the order. DeJong isn't likely to do much more than that, however -- he's posted a strikeout rate north of 30 percent in each of the last three seasons, leading to a .205/.263/.372 slash line in 1,119 plate appearances.
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Oliver Dunn 3B | MIL
Brewers' Oliver Dunn: Out against lefty
Dunn is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Royals.
Milwaukee will face a left-handed starting pitcher (Kris Bubic) for the third time in four games, and the left-handed-hitting Dunn has found himself on the bench for each of those contests. Vinny Capra will get another start at third base, but Dunn still looks to be in line for the bulk of the playing time at the position as the strong-side platoon option.
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Jordan Westburg 2B | BAL
Orioles' Jordan Westburg: Back in lineup Monday
Westburg (undisclosed) will start at second base and bat leadoff in Monday's game against the Red Sox, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
After going 6-for-13 with three solo home runs and a walk through the Orioles' first three games, Westburg was surprisingly held out of the lineup for Sunday's 3-1 loss to the Blue Jays. Though the assumption heading into the day was that Westburg was getting a rest day, manager Brandon Hyde said after the game that the 26-year-old infielder was available for the contest only in an emergency due to an unspecified issue. Whatever the case, Westburg is back in action Monday, as anticipated, so fantasy managers can feel comfortable with locking him into their lineups.
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Nick Maton DH | CHW
White Sox's Nick Maton: Sitting against righty
Maton is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Twins.
While serving as Chicago's designated hitter in final two games of the team's season-opening series versus the Angels, Maton went 1-for-6 with a solo home run. Though he'll head to the bench Monday while the Twins send a right-hander (Chris Paddack) to the mound, the lefty-hitting Maton could end up playing against righties more often than not if he's able to build on his outstanding spring training. Despite attending camp as a non-roster invitee, Maton earned his way onto the White Sox's Opening Day squad by turning in a .989 OPS over 19 Cactus League games.
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Brett Harris 3B | ATH
Athletics' Brett Harris: Begins rehab assignment
Harris (oblique) opened a rehab assignment at Triple-A Las Vegas and went 1-for-3 with a stolen base while playing seven innings at third base in a 9-4 loss to Reno.
Harris didn't play in any Cactus League games after Feb. 26 due to a left oblique strain that resulted in him opening the season on the 10-day injured list, but after he was recently able to take part in some simulated games at Athletics camp in Arizona, he was given the green light to head out on a rehab assignment. The 26-year-old may need only a few games at Triple-A to prove his health, but since he doesn't appear to have a path to a spot on Athletics' active roster at the moment, Harris could be optioned to Las Vegas once he's reinstated from the IL.
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Nick Maton DH | CHW
White Sox's Nick Maton: Pops leadoff homer
Maton went 1-for-3 with a solo home run Sunday against the Angels.
Maton started for the second consecutive game at designated hitter, as Andrew Benintendi shifted back to his traditional position in left field. Maton also took over the leadoff spot Sunday and began the home half of the first inning with his first homer of the season. He's a .204 hitter across 518 career plate appearances in the majors, though he has an 11.4 percent walk rate and .150 ISO, which could combine to give him some appeal in very deep formats that reward on-base percentage.
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Matt Chapman 3B | SF
Giants' Matt Chapman: Homers in win
Chapman went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Sunday's 6-3 win over the Reds.
Chapman doubled the Giants' lead to 4-0 with a two-run homer off Nick Martinez in the sixth inning. The 31-year-old enjoyed a great first season with San Francisco and has started 2025 strong, recording a hit in all three games so far.
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Jordan Westburg 2B | BAL
Orioles' Jordan Westburg: Available only in emergency Sunday
Manager Brandon Hyde said after Sunday's 3-1 loss to the Blue Jays that Westburg was available for the contest only if an emergency situation had arisen, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
The 26-year-old's absence from the lineup was presumed to be a rest day, but there was apparently an unspecified issue that prevented him from taking the field. Westburg is expected to be back in the lineup Monday against the Red Sox, per Weyrich, so the infielder doesn't appear to be tending to a serious concern.
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Manny Machado 3B | SD
Padres' Manny Machado: Good to go Sunday
Machado (calf) is starting at third base and batting third Sunday against Atlanta, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
The 32-year-old departed Saturday's contest due to right calf tightness, but his presence in the lineup Sunday indicates it's not a serious concern. Machado went 2-for-3 with a double and two walks in the season opener, though he's gone 0-for-6 with a strikeout in the past two games.
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Jorge Polanco 2B | SEA
Mariners' Jorge Polanco: Heading to bench Sunday
Polanco is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics.
Dylan Moore will pick up a start at third base in place of Polanco, who occupied the hot corner for each of the Mariners' first three games of the season. Polanco recorded at least one hit in each of those contests, going 5-for-10 with a home run and three RBI.