MLB Player News

Denard Span and Ian Desmond had big games as the top two hitters in Washington's lineup helped their team win Wednesday. But their counterparts fron the Marlins performed even better in defeat.

Dee Gordon and Martin Prado both smacked three singles and scored a run. Gordon raised his average to a ridiculous .430 on the year, which leads both leagues. He has 49 hits in 27 games, putting him on pace for 294 this season.

Giants skipper Bruce Bochy is loving what he's getting from shortstop Brandon Crawford and second baseman Joe Panik, both in the field and at the plate. 

"It's fun to watch those two go, how they work together," Bochy said Tuesday, per MLB.com. "Craw is so gifted, and Joe Panik has made so much improvement defensively. They're so solid out there, offensively and defensively. They make the routine plays, and when you need a double play, they turn it as well as anybody."

The two continued their offensive prowess in Tuesday's victory over the Padres. Crawford, who was moved up to the fifth spot in the batting order, reached safely in all four of his plate appearances, going 3-for-3 with a double, a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. This was his third mult-hit performance in his last six games.

Panik, meanwhile, hit a solo home run, his second of the year, in the fifth inning. He went 1-for-4 on the evening. He has hit safely in four of his last five games.

"We have a great relationship," Panik said. "He makes my job easier -- just a great guy to play with. When you first get called up, a lot of emotions are running through you, the typical butterflies. The game tends to beat up on you. Then you look over at Brandon, and everything's fine.

Struggling Diamondbacks shortstop Chris Owings is set to sit Tuesday night in Colorado. Nick Ahmed will play his position.

Owings peaked at .241 in late April, but his average has fallen to .205, courtesy of a 3-for-25 slide.

Marlins infielder Dee Gordon went 20 for 31 on the nine-game homestand that ended on Sunday. His .645 average is the second highest in baseball history for a homestand that long.

Only Barry Bonds has ever had a better homestand. He went 13 for 19 (.684) over a 10-game stand in 2004. 

"Let's just be honest about it, I’m not going to be as good as Barry Bonds, ever," Gordon said, per the Miami Herald.

Seven of Gordon's eight games over the homestand were multi-hit games, including three 3-hit nights and a 4-hit outing. He scored five runs, drove in two and walked four times. 

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores is not in the lineup for a second straight day Sunday against the Nationals.

Flores has started 21 of his team's 25 games at the shortstop position, but Ruben Tejada will get the call for a second straight day. Tejada was 1 for 3 Saturday but is just 4 for 21 with three walks and two doubles on the season, while Flores has hit .240/.278/.387 with three home runs and eight RBI in 75 at-bats. Flores has also committed errors in three straight starts.

"We're hoping a couple of days refreshes him and gets him back on track," manager Terry Collins said Sunday morning, per ESPN New York.

The Mets are favorites (-110) against the Nationals Sunday.

Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon is not in the lineup for the first time this season Sunday, while third baseman Martin Prado is receiving his second day off in his team's matchup with the Phillies.

Gordon has led off all season, while Prado has been the team's No. 2 hitter for the last games with Christian Yelich out. With the pair on the bench. left fielder Ichiro Suzuki will lead off against the Phillies, while shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria will bat second.

The Marlins are also giving catcher J.T. Realmuto a break after starting the team's last eight games. Jhonatan Solano will draw the start behind the plate in his place.

The Marlins are heavy favorites (-185) Sunday.

Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon went 3 for 3 at the plate in Miami's 7-0 win over the Phillies on Saturday. 

Gordon, who also walked twice, smacked three singles in the game and scored twice.

"He's locked in," manager Mike Redmond said per the Associated Press. "He's doing everything. He's getting big hits, driving in runs, playing great defense. That play he made over his shoulder in shallow center field was good as I've seen in a long time."

"He's as advertised. He's the guy that we knew we were getting when we traded for him and it's fun to see him going out there and just being himself and I think that's been for him to go out and play his game and I think we're seeing the results."

He continues to lead the league in hitting to start the year, posting a .440 average in 100 at-bats.

Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford has 18 hits this season, but continued to make the most of them in a Saturday defeat of the Angels.

Crawford singled and scored in the second, then slugged his fifth home run, a solo job in the third, to give his team a 3-1 lead. He has 11 runs and 12 RBI in 72 at-bats in 2015 despite batting eighth in the lineup nearly all year.

The Diamondbacks left three starters out of Saturday's starting lineup. 

Catcher Tuffy Gosewich sits, in place of Jordan Pacheco, who starts his fifth game and bats seventh in the lineup. 

Aaron Hill makes his fifth start of the year at second base, in place of Chris Owings. Hill has started twice in the last four games. He hits sixth in the order. 

Shortstop Nick Ahmed is out of the lineup as well. Cliff Pennington starts ahead of him for the third time this season and hits eighth. 

The Mets gave several regulars a rest on Saturday. 

Right fielder Curtis Granderson, catcher Kevin Plawecki and shortstop Wilmer Flores are all out of the starting lineup. 

John Mayberry makes his third start of the year in right, batting leadoff. Ruben Tejada makes his fourth start at short, batting seventh. Luke Recker will catch and bat eighth.