MLB Player News
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Jackson Holliday SS | BAL
Orioles' Jackson Holliday: Sitting against southpaw
Holliday is not in the lineup for Monday's game versus the Angels.
Holliday has now been out of the lineup each of the three times the Orioles have faced a lefty since his promotion. The 20-year-old is not going to be a platoon player once he gets rolling at the plate, but it's not a surprise the club is electing to sit him versus southpaws given his 1-for-30 start at the plate. Jorge Mateo will be at the keystone Monday.
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Braden Shewmake SS | HOU
White Sox's Braden Shewmake: Retreats to bench
Shewmake is out of the lineup for Monday's game in Minnesota.
Shewmake started on the left side of the infield in five of the previous six games, but he went just 1-for-15 at the plate to bring his season average down to .143. Though he's still regarded as one of the organization's better prospects, Shewmake will likely need to have a sustained run of success as a hitter before he shifts out of utility role and takes hold of a regular job at third base or shortstop.
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Paul DeJong SS | DET
White Sox's Paul DeJong: Hitting sixth in return to lineup
DeJong (arm) will start at shortstop and bat sixth in Monday's game against the Twins.
DeJong went unused in Sunday's 8-2 loss to the Phillies after being hit in the left arm by a pitch a day earlier, but his absence for the series finale in Philadelphia might have been precautionary more than anything. He'll take back his usual spot at shortstop Monday while Nicky Lopez shifts over to second base.
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Blaze Alexander SS | BAL
Diamondbacks' Blaze Alexander: Available off bench Monday
Alexander (hamstring) is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cardinals but said he will be available off the bench, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.
Alexander's early exit in Sunday's 5-3 win over the Giants was attributed to a right hamstring cramp, and the Diamondbacks don't seem to believe the rookie is dealing with anything significant a day later. He noted that he's not dealing with any structural damage, but because Alexander is still experiencing some discomfort in the hamstring, he'll get a day off Monday to continue healing. Kevin Newman will pick up the start at shortstop in Alexander's stead.
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J.P. Crawford SS | SEA
Mariners' J.P. Crawford: Productive during twin bill
Crawford went a combined 2-for-8 with a triple, four RBI, two walks and two runs during both games of Sunday's doubleheader against the Rockies.
The four trips on the basepaths made for a busy afternoon for the veteran shortstop, and the productive day, which was highlighted by a bases-clearing triple in Game 2, was preceded by back-to-back two-hit efforts in Crawford's previous two contests Tuesday and Saturday. Crawford is still slashing just .193/.287/.289 on the season, but he's now reached safely in 11 consecutive games, a span during which he boasts a .353 on-base percentage.
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C.J. Abrams SS | WAS
Nationals' CJ Abrams: Swipes fourth bag
Abrams went 1-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and a stolen base in Sunday's win over the Astros.
The shortstop extended his hitting streak to eight games with the performance, but the steal was his first since March 30, snapping a 16-game drought on the basepaths. Abrams has hardly been a disappointment so far in 2024, slashing .297/.358/.676 with six homers, four steals, 12 RBI and 15 runs in 18 contests, but after he pilfered 47 bags last year in his first full big-league season, fantasy GMs who invested in him are likely expecting the 23-year-old to be a bit busier as a baserunner.
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Orelvis Martinez 2B | WAS
Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Triple-A hit streak at 15 games
Martinez went 2-for-5 with a walk, a home run, two runs scored and four RBI in Triple-A Buffalo's 16-4 rout of Columbus on Sunday.
The 22-year-old might be the hottest hitter in the minor leagues right now. Martinez has a 15-game hit streak going in which he's slashing .361/.418/.754, and all six of his homers on the season for Buffalo have come in the last seven contests. The Blue Jays have been mixing and matching four different players at the keystone so far with solid results -- the team sits in the top 10 in OPS, wOBA and wRC+ from the second-base position with an aggregate .252/.329/.413 slash line -- but Martinez's performance at the highest level of the minors is getting hard to ignore. A promotion seems likely sooner rather than later.
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Nick Allen SS | HOU
Athletics' Nick Allen: Recaptures regular role
Allen will start at shortstop and bat eighth in Monday's game against the Yankees, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Allen had begun to fade into a part-time role early last week, but he appears to have since regained a foothold as the Athletics' everyday shortstop after rookie Darell Hernaiz was demoted to Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday. He's now picked up a fifth straight start at shortstop, but Allen still isn't an enticing fantasy option in spite of the increased stability with his playing time. Through 58 plate appearances this season, Allen is slashing .170/.241/.208 with zero home runs or stolen bases.
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Ha-seong Kim 2B | ATL
Padres' Ha-Seong Kim: Two steals Sunday
Kim went 0-for-2 with two walks, two steals and two runs in Sunday's win over the Blue Jays.
Kim drew walks in the sixth and ninth innings. He stole second and third in the ninth before ultimately coming in to score on a bases-loaded walk from Nate Pearson. Sunday ended a five-game hit streak for Kim, who is now hitting .226/347/.417 with three homers, 13 RBI, 14 runs, six steals and a 16:16 BB:K in 102 plate appearances.
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Kevin Newman 3B | LAA
Diamondbacks' Kevin Newman: Fills in at shortstop
Newman entered Sunday's 5-3 win over the Giants to play shortstop after Blaze Alexander (hamstring) was removed. Newman went 1-for-2 with a double and RBI.
Newman, who replaced Alexander to start the bottom of the fifth inning, doubled home what turned out to be the winning run in the top of the ninth. Alexander's injury was described as a cramp, per Steve Gilbert of MLB.com, which doesn't sound too serious The Diamondbacks are limited at shortstop after designating Jace Peterson, leaving Newman or possibly Ketel Marte to fill in if Alexander's unable to play Monday in St. Louis.