MLB Player News
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Casey Schmitt 2B | SF
Giants' Casey Schmitt: Starting at first Wednesday
Giants manager Bob Melvin said that Schmitt will start at first base against left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez in Wednesday's game versus the Astros, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The 26-year-old Schmitt pinch hit for LaMonte Wade against lefty Steven Okert in the seventh inning of Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Astros. Schmitt remained in the game and played first base for the first time in his big-league career, though he went 0-for-2 with a strikeout. There's a good chance that Schmitt will receive more playing time at first base against lefties moving forward, and he's been taking grounders with Wade and Wilmer Flores to familiarize himself with the position.
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Andrew McCutchen DH | PIT
Pirates' Andrew McCutchen: On bench for third straight game
McCutchen remains out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays.
For the third game in a row, McCutchen finds himself out of the lineup. The Pirates haven't indicated that McCutchen is dealing with an injury, and the 38-year-old came off the bench in Tuesday's 7-0 loss to Tampa Bay and recorded a base hit in a ninth-inning pinch-hitting appearance. Rather than because of his own health, McCutchen's recent absences seem to be a byproduct of Bryan Reynolds dealing with right tricep soreness, according to Brian Murphy of MLB.com. Reynolds has still been able to take at-bats without discomfort while he manages the injury, so he'll remain in the lineup at designated hitter for the third straight game while Jack Suwinski fills in for him in right field. Once Reynolds is ready to play the outfield again, McCutchen could be prioritized over Suwinski.
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Christian Yelich DH | MIL
Brewers' Christian Yelich: First day off Wednesday
Yelich is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Royals.
Yelich cranked his first home run of the season Tuesday, but he will receive his first day off for Wednesday's afternoon contest. Isaac Collins is at designated hitter and batting third for Milwaukee.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Rangers' Joc Pederson: Slow start
Pederson went 1-for-2 with a walk and was hit by a pitch in Tuesday's 1-0 win over Cincinnati.
Pederson had a first-inning double but was stranded at second base. The lefty batter is off to a slow start for his new team with Tuesday's double being just his second hit in 15 at-bats.
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Nick Maton DH | CHW
White Sox's Nick Maton: Goes yard again
Maton went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Tuesday's loss to the Twins.
Maton pushed the Sox ahead 3-0 in the fifth with a solo blast to left field. The early power is promising, though his only two hits in 11 plate appearances are solo home runs, both coming out of the leadoff spot.
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Yandy Diaz DH | TB
Rays' Yandy Diaz: Scores twice in win
Diaz went 1-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored Tuesday against the Pirates.
Diaz reached base multiple times for the first time this season and came around to score on each occasion. He's gotten off to a slow start across five games, recording three hits across his first 22 at-bats. Nevertheless, he should continue to serve as the Rays' primary leadoff hitter.
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Christian Yelich DH | MIL
Brewers' Christian Yelich: Smashes first homer of season
Yelich went 1-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, a walk, a stolen base and an additional run scored in Tuesday's 5-0 win over the Royals.
After grounding out to drive in a run in the third inning, Yelich added an insurance run for the Brewers with a solo shot in the eighth frame. The star left fielder is slashing just .125/.300/.313 over 16 at-bats (five games), so he's cooled off quite a bit to begin the campaign after hitting .353 with three homers and 11 RBI over 36 plate appearances during spring training.
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Yordan Alvarez DH | HOU
Astros' Yordan Alvarez: Early slump continues in loss
Alvarez went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Tuesday's 3-1 loss to the Giants.
It's been an icy start at the plate for Alvarez, who has a lone hit in 16 at-bats with two RBI and three walks in five games. Alvarez also went just 5-for-34 (.147) with one home run during spring training, but fantasy managers should expect the star slugger to get going at the dish soon. Alvarez has hit at least .293 and reached the 30-homer mark in each of the past three years.
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Gavin Sheets LF | SD
Padres' Gavin Sheets: On bench versus lefty
Sheets is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Guardians, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Sheets started the previous four games -- all against right-handed starting pitchers -- and has gone 7-for-14 with two doubles, a homer and five RBI this season, but he'll sit Tuesday while lefty Logan Allen takes the mound for Cleveland. Yuli Gurriel will continue to fill the small side of the platoon at designated hitter and bat sixth.
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Andrew McCutchen DH | PIT
Pirates' Andrew McCutchen: Out of lineup again Tuesday
McCutchen is not in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Rays.
McCutchen isn't dealing with any known injury, but he's now been absent from the Pirates' lineup for three of the last four games. Bryan Reynolds is getting a start in the designated hitter spot, while Jack Suwinski is covering right field.