MLB Player News
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Jose Barrero SS | BAL
Reds' Jose Barrero: Excelling since return
Barrero (personal), who left Double-A Chattanooga for just over a week in late May, is hitting .333/.385/.417 with a home run, a stolen base, nine RBI and 10 runs in his 12 games since rejoining the affiliate.
Barrero took some time away from baseball to mourn the passing of his mother, who died due to complications related to COVID-19. Upon returning to action, the 23-year-old shortstop was quickly able to pick up where he left off, and he could soon be in store for a promotion to Triple-A Louisville.
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Brandon Crawford SS | STL
Giants' Brandon Crawford: Crushes 15th home run
Crawford went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI in Monday's 5-2 win over Arizona.
Crawford broke a 1-1 tie with his two-run shot in the fifth inning and later brought in an insurance run with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly. The veteran shortstop entered Monday's game in a 1-for-16 but broke out of it with his fourth multi-hit game of the month. He's slashing .257/.341/.545 with 24 extra-base hits and 44 RBI this season.
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Javier Baez SS | DET
Cubs' Javier Baez: Expects to return Tuesday
Baez (thumb) expects to be available off the bench Monday against the Mets and hopes to return to the lineup Tuesday, Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Baez battled thumb soreness throughout last week, missing a total of four games. He'll miss another one to start this week, but the issue doesn't appear to be particularly serious and a trip to the injured list doesn't seem to be on the cards.
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Miguel Rojas SS | LAD
Marlins' Miguel Rojas: Return possible this weekend
Manager Don Mattingly said the Marlins hope Rojas (finger) will be activated this weekend during the three-game series against the Cubs, Craig Mish of SportsGrid.com reports.
The veteran shortstop began a rehab assignment Sunday at Triple-A Jacksonville, so a weekend return would provide him a few games in the minors before being activated. Rojas landed on the shelf with a dislocated and fractured left index finger May 28 and it appears he's set to be activated after missing about three weeks.
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Javier Baez SS | DET
Cubs' Javier Baez: Remains sidelined
Baez (thumb) remains out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Mets.
Thumb soreness cost Baez the first three games of last week and sent him back to the bench for Sunday's game. His latest absence will last at least two games, with the Cubs yet to specific exactly when he'll return to the lineup. Sergio Alcantara starts at shortstop in his absence.
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Casey Schmitt SS | SF
Giants' Casey Schmitt: Enjoys power surge at Low-A
Schmitt was named the Low-A West Player of the Week on Monday after he went 9-for-20 with four home runs, three walks, five runs and 10 RBI over his last five games for Low-A San Jose.
Schmitt endured a brutal start to the 2021 campaign, but he lifted his batting average 60 points on the heels of a huge week. The 22-year-old third baseman has still been a below-average player for the balance of the season, with his .208/.277/.455 slash line equating to a 92 wRC+. Better days should be in the forecast for Schmitt, who is striking out at a more-than-acceptable 16.1 percent rate but has been victimized by an unsustainably low .171 BABIP.
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Miguel Rojas SS | LAD
Marlins' Miguel Rojas: Starting rehab assignment
Rojas (finger) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Sunday at Triple-A Jacksonville, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Rojas didn't get the chance to play after Sunday's contest was postponed due to inclement weather, and with Jacksonville off the schedule until Tuesday, the Marlins could look to reassign him to a different affiliate to get in some action. In any case, the fact that he's now beginning a rehab assignment suggests that Rojas' return to the big-league roster is imminent, with his activation from the 10-day injured list likely to come later this week. Once reinstated, Rojas will likely take over as the Marlins' everyday shortstop, with rookie Jazz Chisholm moving back to second base.
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Javier Baez SS | DET
Cubs' Javier Baez: Scratched with thumb issue
Manager David Ross said Baez was scratched from Sunday's lineup against the Cardinals because of thumb soreness, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports.
Baez missed three games last week because of the thumb issue before returning for the first two games of the weekend series against St. Louis. However, the thumb soreness has returned for the shortstop, so Ross will play it safe by taking him out of Sunday's starting nine. It's currently unknown if Baez could appear off the bench in the series finale. He can be considered day-to-day going forward.
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Corey Seager SS | TEX
Dodgers' Corey Seager: Could take BP next week
Seager (hand) is expected to take on-field batting practice sometime next week, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Manager Dave Roberts recently indicated that Seager's hand is healing more quickly than expected, and the fact that the shortstop is around the corner from a return to batting practice certainly supports that statement. Seager will need to go on a rehab assignment before rejoining the big club, so early July still seems to be the most likely timeframe for his return.
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Dansby Swanson SS | CHC
Braves' Dansby Swanson: Gets breather Sunday
Swanson is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins.
For the first time all season, Swanson will head to the bench in what likely amounts to a pre-planned rest day. Ehire Adrianza will pick up a start at shortstop in place of Swanson, who is slashing .214/.267/.405 through Atlanta's first 11 games of June.