MLB Player News
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Josh H. Smith 3B | TOR
Rangers' Josh H. Smith: Hitless atop order
Smith went 0-for-4 in Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Royals.
Smith left Tuesday's game with a calf injury but was back in the lineup at third base and leading off Wednesday. He's typically in the starting lineup against right-handers, while Charlie Culberson slots in at third base against lefties.
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Javier Baez SS | DET
Tigers' Javier Baez: Keeps up hot streak
Baez went 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored in Wednesday's win over the Giants.
Baez's .222 batting average and .642 OPS for the season still don't look great, but he's been dialed in lately. The shortstop is batting .366 over his past 10 games with eight extra-base knocks. Fantasy managers can probably turn the page on Baez's early season struggles and expect solid numbers the rest of the way.
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Paul DeJong SS | DET
Cardinals' Paul DeJong: Leaves after HBP
DeJong exited Wednesday's game with Triple-A Memphis after being hit by a pitch on the hand, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
DeJong has been at Memphis since being demoted May 10, and he has a .219/.264/.475 slash line with 11 home runs and 36 RBI in 39 games. He should be considered day-to-day since the specifics of the injury remain unclear.
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Jeremy Pena SS | HOU
Astros' Jeremy Pena: Being evaluated for concussion
Pena is being evaluated for a concussion following Wednesday's win over the Mets, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Pena is dealing with a mouth lateration but is also being examined for a concussion following Wednesday's outfield collision that forced him out of the game. The 24-year-old is traveling back to Houston with the team Wednesday, but it's not yet clear whether he'll be available to begin the Astros' series against the Yankees on Thursday.
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Carlos Correa SS | HOU
Twins' Carlos Correa: Gets breather Wednesday
Correa isn't in the lineup Wednesday against Cleveland.
Correa is getting a day off after he hit .324 with four homers, a double, seven runs and six RBI over the last nine games. Jorge Polanco is shifting to shortstop while Jose Miranda enters the lineup at first base.
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Jon Berti 3B | CHC
Marlins' Jon Berti: Set to fill in for injured Chisholm
Berti will start at second base and bat leadoff in Wednesday's game against the Cardinals, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
With Brian Anderson recently making his return from the 10-day injured list and Joey Wendle (hamstring) on pace to return from the IL this weekend, Berti looked to be at risk of losing out on regular playing time at third base. Given how well Berti has performed over the past several weeks, the Marlins likely would have carved out a quasi-everyday role for the 32-year-old somewhere in the lineup when the team was back to full strength, but Jazz Chisholm's (back) move to the IL temporarily solves that conundrum. With Chisholm at risk of being sidelined through the All-Star break, Berti should take over as the Marlins' everyday second baseman and leadoff man against both left- and right-handed pitching. He's been a fantasy goldmine thus far in June, slashing .309/.374/.392 while supplying 15 runs, 10 RBI and a whopping 18 stolen bases.
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Luke Williams 2B | ATL
Marlins' Luke Williams: Returns from minors
The Marlins recalled Williams from Triple-A Jacksonville on Wednesday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Williams was optioned to Triple-A two days ago, but he's eligible to rejoin the big club after the Marlins moved Jazz Chisholm (back) to the 10-day injured list Wednesday. Jon Berti is expected to step in for Chisholm as the Marlins' everyday second baseman, while the versatile Williams handles a utility role. Don't expect Williams to see more than a start or two per week, with most of his opportunities likely to come against left-handed pitching.
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Jeremy Pena SS | HOU
Astros' Jeremy Pena: Exit attributed to mouth laceration
Pena's teammate, Justin Verlander, said that the rookie shortstop exited Wednesday's 2-0 win over the Mets in the eighth inning with a mouth laceration, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Manager Dusty Baker declined to discuss the nature of the injuries Pena and Yordan Alvarez sustained in their outfield collision, but Verlander was at least willing to give the media with an update on the former player. Assuming Pena doesn't require any sort of major dental surgery and avoided any further injuries in the collision, he'll have a good chance at being back in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Yankees. Pena, who went 1-for-4 at the plate before his exit, looked as though he was initially going to stay in the game, but he ultimately walked off to the dugout after consulting with team trainers.
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Tommy Edman 2B | LAD
Cardinals' Tommy Edman: Day off Wednesday
Edman isn't in the lineup Wednesday against the Marlins, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Edman hit .227 with a double, three runs, three RBI and three stolen bases over the last five games and is getting a scheduled breather ahead of the Cardinals' off day Thursday. Edmundo Sosa is starting at shortstop and batting eighth.
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Jeremy Pena SS | HOU
Astros' Jeremy Pena: Leaves after collision with Alvarez
Pena was removed from Wednesday's game against the Mets in the eighth inning after he was involved in a collision in the outfield with teammate Yordan Alvarez, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. He went 1-for-4 before departing from the contest.
Both players were shaken up in the incident, but Alvarez appeared to absorb the brunt of the collision. Pena was the first of the two to get up from the field and was able to walk to the dugout under his own power, while the Astros called out a cart for Alvarez. The nature and extent of the injuries to Pena and Alvarez likely won't be announced until after the contest, but both could be in danger of missing time. Mauricio Dubon came off the bench to replace Pena at shortstop.