MLB Player News
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Marcell Ozuna DH | PIT
Braves' Marcell Ozuna: Hits 13th home run
Ozuna went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in a 12-10 loss to the Giants on Tuesday.
There has always been plenty of pop in Ozuna's bat, and his home run off Anthony DeSclafani now gives him 13 home runs on the year. Despite being a career .270 hitter, the 31-year-old slugger is slashing only .227/.275/.414 in 2022. Baseball Savant ranks him in the 90th percentile of xSLG, so it is possible that his slash line normalizes upward toward his career standard.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Giants' Joc Pederson: Hits 15th home run
Pederson went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in a 12-10 win over the Braves on Tuesday.
Pederson homered off reliever Collin McHugh to lead off the seventh inning and extend his team's lead. It marks the 15th long ball for Pederson on the season, which puts him on pace for his best power output since 2019. His power resurgence is all the more impressive given that home runs are down considerably in 2022 compared to 2019, partially due to the physical properties of the baseball. Pederson is now slugging .565 with a .912 OPS in 2022.
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Bligh Madris DH | STL
Pirates' Bligh Madris: Belts first big-league homer
Madris went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 7-1 win over the Cubs.
In his second MLB game, the 26-year-old rookie clubbed a Mark Leiter offering over the wall in right-center field in the seventh inning to cap the scoring on the night. Madris has hit the ground running since his promotion, going 4-for-8 with a double, a homer, a stolen base, two runs and three RBI and building on the breakout .304/.385/.519 line he posted for Triple-A Indianapolis over 46 games.
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Bryce Harper DH | PHI
Phillies' Bryce Harper: Still sidelined Tuesday
Harper (hand) remains out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rangers.
A UCL sprain in his throwing elbow has prevented Harper from playing in the outfield since April 16, but it's an infected blister on his left hand that will keep him from serving as the Phillies' designated hitter for the fourth game in a row. Alec Bohm will instead handle DH duties Tuesday while Harper receives additional maintenance coming out of Monday's team off day. Harper is feeling better after recently receiving an antibiotic treatment for the infection and was able to hit in the cage, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. The slugger is also expected to be available off the bench to pinch hit Tuesday.
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Daniel Vogelbach DH | TOR
Pirates' Daniel Vogelbach: Big game against Cubs
Vogelbach went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, two RBI and three runs scored Monday against the Cubs.
Vogelbach delivered a two-RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning to extend Pittsburgh's lead to 9-1. He also scored each time he reached base, marking the third time in his last five starts that he has scored multiple runs. Despite a multitude of recent prospect promotions, Vogelbach has remained the Pirates' primary designated hitter. However, he is hitting just .217/.299/.410 across 187 plate appearances on the season.
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Bligh Madris DH | STL
Pirates' Bligh Madris: Three hits in MLB debut
Madris went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI, one run scored and a steal in Monday's 12-1 win over the Cubs.
The 26-year-old's promotion was a bit overshadowed by Oneil Cruz's but both rookies looked terrific in their season debuts. Madris ripped a two-run single and swiped second base in the second inning. He then doubled in the sixth and finished his big day by singling and scoring in the seventh. Madris' role at the MLB level is still unclear but a hot bat could earn him more playing time.
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Brandon Belt DH | TOR
Giants' Brandon Belt: Sits against southpaw
Belt will sit Monday against Atlanta, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Since his return from a knee injury last week, Belt has started against three righties while sitting against three lefties. He hits the bench here as the Giants load up on right-handers against southpaw Max Fried. Darin Ruf will take over at first base.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Giants' Joc Pederson: On bench against left-hander
Pederson isn't in the lineup for Monday's game against Atlanta, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Pederson went 4-for-14 with a homer, three runs, three RBI, two walks and six strikeouts over the last five matchups but will be out of the lineup for the second time in the last three games since left-hander Max Fried is on the mound. Luis Gonzalez, Austin Slater and Mike Yastrzemski will start in the outfield from left to right.
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Bligh Madris DH | STL
Pirates' Bligh Madris: Promotion official
The Pirates selected Madris' contract from Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday. He'll start in right field and bat seventh in the Pirates' series opener with the Cubs.
Pittsburgh placed starting pitcher Zach Thompson (forearm) on the 15-day injured list to open up a spot on the 26-man active roster for Madris, who is up with the big club for the first time in his career. With fellow rookies Jack Suwinski and Cal Mitchell seemingly established as the Pirates' primary starters at the corner-outfield spots, the 26-year-old Madris may have to settle for a reserve role with Pittsburgh initially. As a left-handed hitter, Madris, who submitted a .904 OPS in 179 plate appearances at Indianapolis, won't represent a viable platoon mate for Suwinski or Mitchell either.
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Mike Ford DH | MIN
Braves' Mike Ford: Moves up to majors
Atlanta recalled Ford from Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday.
Ford will join the big club for the first time after he had spent the past week and a half at Triple-A when Atlanta claimed him off waivers from Seattle earlier this month. He'll provide Atlanta with a left-handed bat off the bench but isn't expected to usurp either of Matt Olson or Marcell Ozuna for the top job at first base or designated hitter, respectively.