MLB Player News
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Ryan Kreidler 3B | MIN
Twins' Ryan Kreidler: Optioned to Triple-A
The Twins optioned Kreidler to Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
He's clearing out to make room on the roster for the arrival of Connor Prielipp, who will start Wednesday's game versus the Mets. Kreidler has been productive in his brief time in the majors this season, going 3-for-14 with two home runs and a 4:3 BB:K. He should get another chance later this summer.
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Ben Williamson 3B | TB
Rays' Ben Williamson: Fading into platoon role
Williamson will start at second base and bat sixth in Wednesday's game against the Reds, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.
Williamson had been on the bench for each of the last four games while the Rays faced right-handed starting pitchers, but he'll slot back into the lineup at the keystone as lefty Brandon Williamson takes the hill for the Reds. The Rays had previously been running more of a timeshare at second base through the first few weeks of the season, but Williamson since appears to have moved into the short side of a platoon at the position with the left-handed-hitting Richie Palacios.
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Graham Pauley 3B | MIA
Marlins' Graham Pauley: Sitting against righty
Pauley is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals.
The left-handed-hitting Pauley often sits versus southpaws, but he'll be heading to the bench Wednesday while right-hander Kyle Leahy starts for the Cardinals. Though Javier Sanoja will fill in at third base in the series finale, Pauley could face a greater threat from Connor Norby for reps at the hot corner once Christopher Morel (oblique) returns from the injured list. Morel had been in line to serve as the Marlins' primary first baseman before straining his oblique prior to Opening Day, but Norby has been handling those duties through the first four weeks of the season and has produced a .738 OPS. Pauley, meanwhile, has struggled to a .492 OPS and has struck out at a 27.3 percent clip over 55 plate appearances.
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Jose Ramirez 3B | CLE
Guardians' Jose Ramirez: Stays busy on basepaths
Ramirez went 1-for-3 with two walks, two runs scored and a stolen base in Tuesday's 8-5 win over the Astros.
The star third baseman got intentionally walked and promptly swiped second base as part of Cleveland's six-run eruption in the eighth inning that flipped the script on a 4-2 deficit. Ramirez leads the majors in steals, going a perfect 11-for-11 on the basepaths through 25 games to stay just ahead of the Pirates' Oneil Cruz and the Nationals' Nasim Nunez, who have 10 apiece.
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Ildemaro Vargas 3B | ARI
Diamondbacks' Ildemaro Vargas: Lashes homer in loss
Vargas started at first base and went 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Tuesday's 11-5 loss to the White Sox.
Vargas connected on a sinker that didn't sink for a three-run home run in the ninth inning. It was his third homer of the season and extended a season-opening hit streak to 16 games. Batting .361 with a 1.004 OPS, Vargas is punching well above his weight; the utility infielder owns a career average of .254 and OPS of .664.
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Coby Mayo 3B | BAL
Orioles' Coby Mayo: Breaks through with first homer
Mayo went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Tuesday's 6-5 loss to the Royals.
Mayo delivered a much-needed swing, launching a three-run homer off Kris Bubic in the second inning for his first long ball of the season. The long ball accounted for most of Baltimore's offense and marked a potential turning point after the young first baseman's slow start. Entering Tuesday, Mayo was slashing just .148/.258/.185 with only two extra-base hits across 62 plate appearances. He'll need to rattle off more performances like this one to solidify his role moving forward.
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Yoan Moncada 3B | LAA
Angels' Yoan Moncada: Sitting down Tuesday
Moncada isn't in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays, Jack Janes of TheSportingTribune.com reports.
Moncada will get a breather after making four consecutive starts, during which he went 2-for-14 with a homer and three walks. Oswald Peraza will fill in at the hot corner and bat fifth.
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Zach McKinstry 3B | DET
Tigers' Zach McKinstry: Going through light activities
McKinstry (hip) has resumed light baseball activities, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
McKinstry landed on the 10-day injured list last week with left hip/abdominal inflammation but has started to slowly ramp things back up at the Tigers' spring training complex in Florida. He has a good chance to return Sunday when first eligible.