MLB Player News
-
Jorge Soler DH | LAA
Marlins' Jorge Soler: Belts 26th homer
Soler went 1-for-6 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 9-8 extra-innings win over the Phillies.
With the Marlins down by a run in the bottom of the ninth inning, Soler crushed a 98.8-mph sinker from Gregory Soto to right-center field to tie the game at 5-5, setting the stage for a wild finish. The 31-year-old slugger was ice cold coming out of the All-Star break, batting .136 (6-for-44) in 11 games with a 36.7 percent strikeout rate, but he's now hit safely in five straight and gone yard in two of the last three contests while fanning only four times. On the season, Soler's up to 26 homers and 57 RBI through 104 games with an .825 OPS, which would be his highest mark since 2019 when he launched 48 homers for the Royals.
-
Christopher Morel 1B | MIA
Cubs' Christopher Morel: Homers, drives in three in big win
Morel went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run and three RBI in Wednesday's 16-6 win over the Reds.
Morel hit a two-run shot in the third inning, his 17th home run of the season, and added another RBI on his 12th double. Despite the Cubs' acquisition of Jeimer Candelario at the trade deadline, Morel has stuck in the lineup, serving as the designated hitter each of the last two nights. With Candelario slotting in at first base, Cody Bellinger figures to play mostly in center, with Mike Tauchman also in the mix. Morel's playing time should be secure if he keeps delivering at the plate like he's done all season long.
-
J.D. Martinez DH | NYM
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Out again with tight hamstring
Martinez (hamstring) remains out of the lineup Wednesday versus the Athletics.
Martinez has been sidelined all this week due to left hamstring tightness, though he said Tuesday that he believes he will be able to avoid the injured list. Chris Taylor is serving as the Dodgers' designated hitter Wednesday and batting sixth.
-
Daniel Vogelbach DH | TOR
Mets' Daniel Vogelbach: Sitting versus southpaw
Vogelbach is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Royals, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Vogelbach is 3-for-12 with a home run and a walk over his past four games, but he'll take a seat Wednesday with lefty Cole Ragans pitching for Kansas City. Pete Alonso will rest his legs as the designated hitter while Mark Vientos starts at first base.
-
Christian Encarnacion-Strand 1B | BAL
Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Drives in two
Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-5 with two RBI in Tuesday's 20-9 loss to the Cubs.
Encarnacion-Strand bounced back from his first stretch of adversity in the majors. After a five-game stretch in which the 23-year-old went 1-for-14 with eight strikeouts, Encarnacion-Strand has four hits, three RBI and a run scored without striking out in his last two games.
-
J.D. Martinez DH | NYM
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Out with tight hamstring
Martinez (hamstring) is absent from the lineup Tuesday versus Oakland.
Martinez made an early exit from Sunday's series finale against the Reds due to left hamstring tightness. He was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday, the results of which have not yet been made available. Chris Taylor is serving as the Dodgers' designated hitter Tuesday.
-
Ji-Man Choi 1B | NYM
Padres' Ji-Man Choi: Dealt to San Diego
The Pirates traded Choi and Rich Hill to the Padres on Tuesday in exchange for Alfonso Rivas, Jackson Wolf and Estuar Suero, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
San Diego has been giving regular starts at DH to the backup catcher (Luis Campusano) since letting Nelson Cruz go, and Choi will provide an upgrade versus right-handed pitching. While Choi has mostly struggled this season, he is a career .246/.351/.459 hitter against right-handers.
-
Charlie Blackmon RF | COL
Rockies' Charlie Blackmon: Not ready for rehab games
Blackmon (hand) is no longer scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Albuquerque, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Blackmon did some pregame activities with the Rockies on Monday and apparently still felt some lingering discomfort in the right hand that he fractured back in June. The severity of the setback is not yet known, but it's safe to say there is no longer a set timetable for the veteran's return to the active major-league roster in Colorado.
-
Jorge Soler DH | LAA
Marlins' Jorge Soler: Cranks 25th homer
Soler went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Monday's 4-2 loss against the Phillies.
Soler opened the scoring in the first inning Monday with a two-run, 415-foot blast off Taijuan Walker. It would prove to be all the offense Miami could muster in an eventual loss. The home run was Soler's first since July 15 and his 25th of the year. Overall, he's slashing .243/.333/.493 with 57 runs scored and 56 RBI across 430 plate appearances this season.
-
Joey Meneses DH | NYM
Nationals' Joey Meneses: Drives in three runs
Meneses went 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and three RBI in Monday's win over Milwaukee.
Meneses put the Nationals on the board with a solo shot in the second inning and later knocked a go-ahead, two-run single in the seventh. It was his second homer in the last six games and he's gone 10-for-25 (.400) during that stretch. His season slash line is up to .283/.324/.409 with 33 extra-base hits and 58 RBI through 426 plate appearances.