MLB Player News
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Brandon Belt DH | TOR
Blue Jays' Brandon Belt: Sitting against lefty
Belt is not in the lineup Friday against the Angels.
Jordan Luplow will serve as the designated hitter and hit eighth with left-hander Patrick Sandoval on the mound for the Angels. Belt is 1-for-19 (.053) with a whopping 12 strikeouts through five games this year.
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Franmil Reyes DH | WAS
Royals' Franmil Reyes: Not starting Friday
Reyes isn't in Kansas City's lineup for Friday's game with the Giants.
Friday marks the second consecutive game that Reyes will begin on the bench after starting the year 1-for-13 at the plate. The 27-year-old slugger will surely get more opportunities as the Royals' DH, but Friday that job will go to Vinnie Pasquantino. Hunter Dozier will shift to first base, opening up third base for Matt Duffy, who will bat ninth.
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Ji-Man Choi 1B | NYM
Pirates' Ji-Man Choi: Sitting Friday
Choi is not in the starting lineup Friday against the White Sox, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Choi will remain on the bench for a second game in a row as the Pirates start their series with Chicago. Andrew McCutchen will handle the designated hitter role while Jack Suwinski enters the lineup in center field and bats sixth versus the White Sox.
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Matt Carpenter DH | STL
Padres' Matt Carpenter: Belts first long ball of season
Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run and a walk in a loss to Atlanta on Thursday.
Carpenter's lone hit of the game was a big one, as his three-run homer off Spencer Strider in the third inning gave San Diego its first lead. The long ball was the veteran's first as a Padre, and it gave him six RBI through six games this season. Carpenter has posted a .250/.400/.500 slash line over 20 plate appearances as the team's primary DH.
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Harold Ramirez DH | WAS
Rays' Harold Ramirez: Tallies first homer
Ramirez went 2-for-4 with a single and a solo home run in Wednesday's 7-2 victory over the Nationals.
After an 0-for-8 slump, Ramirez broke out with two hits, including a solo home run in the sixth inning that extended the Rays' lead to 4-2. Despite the positive outing, the 28-year-old must compete with Luke Raley for designated hitter responsibilities, where whomever has the better pitching matchup will likely get the start. Although Ramirez has demonstrated the potential to make a significant impact, he may not be a substantial contributor if the Rays can remain in decent health.
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Marcell Ozuna DH | PIT
Braves' Marcell Ozuna: Not in lineup Thursday
Ozuna is out of the lineup Thursday against the Padres.
The hot-hitting Travis d'Arnaud will bat cleanup as the designated hitter, with Kevin Pillar covering left field and hitting eighth. Ozuna is just 1-for-17 (.059) with six strikeouts out of the gate this season.
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Eloy Jimenez DH | TOR
White Sox's Eloy Jimenez: Plays catch, runs
Jimenez (hamstring) was able to play catch and do some running Thursday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
Jimenez said afterward that he would be able to pinch-hit Thursday if he was on the active roster. He's not, of course, after being placed on the injured list Wednesday, but it's a good sign that he could be ready to go when his 10 days are up or shortly thereafter.
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Franmil Reyes DH | WAS
Royals' Franmil Reyes: Gets Thursday off
Reyes is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Blue Jays.
Reyes has started at designated hitter in four of the Royals' first six games, going 1-for-12 with a solo home run. Rather than guaranteeing Reyes an everyday role, the Royals are likely to take a committee approach to the DH spot, though the 27-year-old could end up getting the lion's share of starts if he can trim down his strikeouts and re-emerge as the premium power hitter he was earlier in his career during stops with San Diego and Cleveland.