MLB Player News
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Noelvi Marte 3B | CIN
Reds' Noelvi Marte: Taking over right-field job
Marte is starting in right field and batting seventh in Thursday's game versus the Pirates.
Instead of benching Marte after trading for Ke'Bryan Hayes, the Reds have made Marte their full-time right fielder, starting him at the position six times across their last seven tilts. Marte is slashing only .216/.216/.324 over his last 10 games and will likely need to pick it back up offensively if he wants to continue playing every day, but Cincinnati appears prepared to do what it can to keep the 23-year-old's bat in the lineup.
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Josh Rojas 3B | CHW
White Sox's Josh Rojas: Sitting against righty again
Rojas is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Mariners.
The White Sox have two openings in the infield after Chase Meidroth (thumb) joined Miguel Vargas (oblique) on the injured list Thursday, but Rojas may not be in line to take on a regular role while the two players are on the shelf. After a stretch of five consecutive starts, the left-handed-hitting Rojas now finds himself on the bench for the second game in a row against a right-handed starting pitcher (Logan Gilbert). Chicago will go with Lenyn Sosa at second base and Brooks Baldwin at third base in the series finale.
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Nolan Arenado 3B | STL
Cardinals' Nolan Arenado: Could return from IL on Aug. 18
Arenado (shoulder) is tentatively slated to rejoin the Cardinals on Aug. 18 before their series against the Marlins, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Arenado is headed to the team's spring training complex in Jupiter, Florida on Friday to strengthen his injured right shoulder before eventually participating in rehab games with the club's rookie-level Florida Complex League squad. If all goes well on that front, he will then make the short drive from Jupiter to Miami to rejoin the Cardinals for the start of a road trip. Arenado has slashed just .167/.219/.200 over his last 17 games since suffering finger and shoulder injuries.
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Graham Pauley 3B | MIA
Marlins' Graham Pauley: Pops second homer
Pauley went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Wednesday's win over Houston.
The third baseman took Hector Neris deep in the fifth inning. Pauley has two homers on the season for the Marlins, but both have come in the last seven games, and since the All-Star break he's batting .278 (10-for-36) with three RBI and five runs. Connor Norby (wrist) still lacks a firm timeline for his return, but Pauley is beginning to make a case to keep the starting job at third base regardless of when Norby gets activated.
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Ernie Clement SS | TOR
Blue Jays' Ernie Clement: Goes yard in four-hit effort
Clement went 4-for-7 with a double, a solo home run and four total runs scored in Wednesday's rout of the Rockies.
His ninth-inning shot off position player Austin Nola gave Clement his sixth homer of the season. The 29-year-old utility player took full advantage of a trip to Coors Field, going 9-for-18 with four extra-base hits and seven runs scored, as the Blue Jays set an MLB record for hits (63) and a franchise record for runs (45) over the three-game series. Through 433 plate appearances this year, Clement has a career-best .290 batting average and .325 OBP while adding three steals, 34 RBI and 61 runs.
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Brady House SS | WAS
Nationals' Brady House: Heading to bench Thursday
House is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Since the All-Star break, House has put together a lowly .229/.235/.250 slash line in 14 contests, and his downturn in production is beginning to cost him some playing time. He'll hit the bench for the second time in four games and the third time in seven contests while Paul DeJong receives a start at third base in his stead.
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Brooks Lee SS | MIN
Twins' Brooks Lee: Homers in win
Lee went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a walk and an additional run scored in Wednesday's 9-4 win over the Tigers.
Lee scored on a wild pitch in the second inning before tying the game with a 430-foot blast in the fourth. The big night came at a good time, as the 24-year-old had entered Wednesday in a 1-for-21 slump since homering twice July 29 versus Boston. For the season, he's slashing .245/.288/.376 with 11 home runs, 44 RBI, 30 runs scored and two steals across 354 plate appearances.
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Junior Caminero 3B | TB
Rays' Junior Caminero: Homers twice Wednesday
Caminero went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three total RBI in Wednesday's 5-4 win over the Angels.
Caminero opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-run, 447-foot blast off Tyler Anderson before adding a solo shot in the third, giving him 30 home runs this year. The 22-year-old Caminero had been struggling at the plate prior to Wednesday's contest, going 6-for-41 (.146) with a .470 OPS in his previous 11 games. Still, the third baseman is slashing .253/.293/.509 with 76 RBI, 64 runs scored and five stolen bases across 464 plate appearances this season.
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Josh Rojas 3B | CHW
White Sox's Josh Rojas: Taking seat Wednesday
Rojas isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game against Seattle.
Rojas will get a breather after beginning the month 2-for-12 with a home run and two walks through four games. Brooks Baldwin will start at the hot corner instead and bat ninth.