MLB Player News
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Luken Baker DH | ARI
Cardinals' Luken Baker: Clubs second homer
Baker went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Sunday's 14-7 win over the Yankees.
Baker has just three hits over nine major-league contests, batting .167 since his Aug. 20 call-up, but all three knocks have gone for extra bases (two homers, one double). It doesn't look to be enough to secure steady playing time, but Baker offers the Cardinals some pop off the bench. He may occasionally start versus left-handers when Alec Burleson is covering for someone in the outfield or is out of the lineup himself.
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Brent Rooker DH | ATH
Athletics' Brent Rooker: Raps out four hits in loss
Rooker went 4-for-5 with an RBI single in an extra-inning loss to the Rangers on Sunday.
The Athletics stranded 11 men overall Sunday, but Rooker went 2-for-3 with runners in scoring position. That included a fifth-inning single that plated Jacob Wilson with Oakland's first run of the day, pushing Rooker's RBI total to eight over the last eight games. The multi-hit tally was also Rooker's third consecutive, and he now boasts a .295 average and elite .951 OPS across 503 plate appearances this season.
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Kyle Manzardo 1B | CLE
Guardians' Kyle Manzardo: Launches first two homers
Manzardo went 2-for-3 with two solo home runs and a walk during Sunday's 6-1 win over the Pirates.
Manzardo was recalled from Triple-A prior to the game and responded by cracking the first two home runs of his career, each coming off Pirates' starter Mitch Keller. Manzardo had received a cup of coffee with the Guardians earlier this season, collecting 82 at-bats and batting .207 with 10 doubles among 17 hits during his initial 30-game stint with the club. Over 359 at-bats in the minors this season, Manzardo, one of the team's top prospects, slashed .264/.396/.545 with 20 homers, 49 RBI, 65 runs, 20 doubles, a triple and two steals.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Diamondbacks' Joc Pederson: Sitting against southpaw
Pederson is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers.
The lefty-hitting Pederson will take a seat for the second time in the series while the Dodgers send another southpaw (Justin Wrobleski) to the hill. Randal Grichuk will fill in for Pederson as Arizona's designated hitter.
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Ryan O'Hearn 1B | PIT
Orioles' Ryan O'Hearn: Idle against lefty
O'Hearn is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies.
Colorado is sending southpaw Ty Blach to the hill for the series finale, so the lefty-hitting O'Hearn will get the afternoon off. Emmanuel Rivera will fill in for O'Hearn at first base.
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Eloy Jimenez DH | TOR
Orioles' Eloy Jimenez: Hits first homer with new team
Jimenez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 7-5 loss to the Rockies.
The homer was Jimenez's first in 23 games with the Orioles. He's slashed .296/.315/.408 with seven RBI since he was traded from the White Sox, which has breathed new life into his campaign. Overall, Jimenez has a .253/.301/.360 slash line, six homers, 23 RBI, 24 runs scored, 14 doubles and three stolen bases over 88 contests this season. Jimenez has seen more steady work as the designated hitter since Ryan Mountcastle (wrist) went on the injured list, which opened up first base for Ryan O'Hearn and Emmanuel Rivera.
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Andrew McCutchen DH | TEX
Pirates' Andrew McCutchen: Getting breather Sunday
McCutchen is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.
McCutchen will get some routine maintenance for Sunday's matinee game after he served as the Pirates' designated hitter in both of the team's first two games in Cleveland upon being activated from the injured list. The 37-year-old showed no sign of being troubled by the knee issue that forced him to the IL on Aug. 17, as he went 3-for-8 with a home run, a double, a walk, four RBI and two runs in his first two games back in the lineup.
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Justyn-Henry Malloy 3B | TB
Tigers' Justyn-Henry Malloy: Back in big leagues
The Tigers recalled Malloy from Triple-A Toledo on Sunday, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.
The 24-year-old will rejoin the MLB club for the start of September as rosters expand to 28 players. Malloy has a .698 OPS with eight home runs in 57 big-league games this season and should see semi-regular playing time in the outfield and at designated hitter.
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Luken Baker DH | ARI
Cardinals' Luken Baker: Appears set to lose work vs. RHPs
Baker will serve as the Cardinals' designated hitter and No. 2 batter in Sunday's game against the Yankees.
Though he's back in the lineup for the series finale, Baker looks poised to lose out on a regular starting role against right-handed pitching with the Cardinals seemingly planning to deploy the recently recalled Jordan Walker in an everyday role. With Walker settling in as the Cardinals' primary right fielder, Alec Burleson should serve as St. Louis' designated hitter in most games, though the lefty-hitting Burleson will get a rare day off Sunday against Yankees lefty Nestor Cortes.
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Kyle Manzardo 1B | CLE
Guardians' Kyle Manzardo: Promoted, starting Sunday
Manzardo was recalled from Triple-A Columbus and is batting sixth as the designated hitter against the Pirates on Sunday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
The 24-year-old is one of the organization's top prospects and will immediately enter the lineup as he joins the big club for the stretch run. Manzardo posted a .207/.241/.329 slash line with a 26.4 percent strikeout rate over 30 games in his first taste of the big leagues earlier this season, and he isn't guaranteed to have a regular place in the lineup.