MLB Player News
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Jorge Soler RF | LAA
Angels' Jorge Soler: Rejoining lineup Sunday
Soler (groin) will start at designated hitter and bat third in Sunday's game against the Orioles.
Soler was out of the lineup for the previous two games due to a groin injury, though the fact that he was deployed as a pinch hitter in Friday's 4-1 loss suggested that the Angels weren't too concerned about the issue. He'll take back his normal duties at DH in the series finale and should be in store for a full slate of starts during the Angels' upcoming six-game week.
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Ryan O'Hearn 1B | SD
Orioles' Ryan O'Hearn: Taking seat Sunday
O'Hearn is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals.
Though he was included in the lineup the last time the Orioles faced a lefty starter (Kris Bubic) on May 3, the lefty-hitting O'Hearn will retreat to the bench Sunday while southpaw Tyler Anderson takes the hill for the Angels. O'Hearn's absence will allow the Orioles to give Adley Rutschman a day off from catching and deploy him as their designated hitter.
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Jorge Polanco DH | SEA
Mariners' Jorge Polanco: Out of Sunday's lineup
Polanco is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.
Polanco started the previous six games and experienced his first real slump of the season, as he went 3-for-25 with a double and three RBI during that stretch. The 31-year-old still has an impressive .327/.373/.653 slash line with nine homers and 28 RBI through 111 plate appearances this year. Cal Raleigh will rest his legs as the designated hitter Sunday while Mitch Garver starts at catcher.
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Kris Bryant DH | COL
Rockies' Kris Bryant: Shifts to 60-day IL
The Rockies transferred Bryant (back) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday.
The move comes just a few days after the Rockies announced that Bryant underwent a successful ablation procedure to address his chronically bothersome back. The 33-year-old is without a timeline to resume baseball activities, but given the nature of his surgery as well as his placement on the 60-day IL, he'll most likely remain sidelined at least through the end of June. Since signing a seven-year, $182 million contract with the Rockies in March 2022, Bryant has had nine separate stints on the IL and has slashed just .244/.324/.370 over 712 total plate appearances.
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Yordan Alvarez DH | HOU
Astros' Yordan Alvarez: Could resume tee work Monday
Alvarez (hand) has been cleared to grip a bat and could start hitting off a tee Monday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
It's progress for Alvarez, who was placed on the injured list Monday due to a right hand muscle strain. He's first eligible to come off the injured list Tuesday, but he'll likely need to take dry swings without issue before the Astros activate him. According to McTaggart, Alvarez could be reinstated prior to a series against the Rangers that begins Thursday, so the Astros seem to have some optimism that the slugger will return within the week.
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Wilmer Flores DH | SF
Giants' Wilmer Flores: Resting up Sunday
Flores is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins.
Flores' streak of six consecutive starts will come to an end. With Flores on the bench, Jung Hoo Lee will make his first MLB start at designated hitter.
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Alec Burleson 1B | STL
Cardinals' Alec Burleson: On bench against southpaw
Burleson is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.
Though he has emerged as a regular in the St. Louis lineup against right-handed pitching, Burleson will continue to sit against southpaws like MacKenzie Gore. With Burleson on the bench, Ivan Herrera will get a look in the designated-hitter spot.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Rangers' Joc Pederson: Cracks first long ball
Pederson went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 10-3 win over Detroit.
Pederson got in on a homer barrage, belting one of four home runs off Jack Flaherty in the first three innings. It was the first home run of the season for Pederson, who is showing life following a dismal start. The slugger is 8-for-31 (.258) with five extra-base hits, three RBI and three runs scored over the last 11 games.
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Starling Marte DH | NYM
Mets' Starling Marte: Not playing regularly
Marte will serve as the Mets' designated hitter and No. 6 batter in Sunday's game against the Cubs.
Marte had been occupying the short side of a platoon at DH with Jesse Winker (oblique) until the latter landed on the injured list Monday. Winker's absence hasn't opened up additional playing time for Marte though, as the veteran has been on the bench for each of the Mets' last three matchups against a right-handed starter. He'll get the nod Sunday versus southpaw Matthew Boyd, but manager Carlos Mendoza looks like he'll rotate other players through the DH spot against righties until Winker returns.
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Seiya Suzuki DH | CHC
Cubs' Seiya Suzuki: Scores, drives in run Saturday
Suzuki went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Saturday's 6-5 win over the Mets.
Suzuki had been scuffling a bit before the two-hit effort, going 0-for-13 with four strikeouts over his previous three games. The veteran outfielder usually doesn't slump for too long, however, as he batted .283 or better each of the last two seasons. Suzuki is batting .250 at the moment, and he will likely push that figure up over the summer based on his MLB track record.