MLB Player News
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Brandon Crawford SS | STL
Giants' Brandon Crawford: Absent Monday
Crawford (side) isn't in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Mariners.
Crawford suffered the injury on a dive during Sunday's game against the Mets, so the team may be taking a cautious approach, especially with the All-Star break on the horizon. Casey Schmitt draws the start at shortstop and is set to bat ninth in Crawford's stead.
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Zachary Neto SS | LAA
Angels' Zach Neto: Continuing to ramp up activities
Neto (oblique) played catch and is expected to hit off a tee Monday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
Neto is continuing to ramp up his baseball activities, and Bollinger adds that the shortstop could be activated soon after the break if all goes according to plan. He's been on the 10-day injured list since June 15 due to a left oblique strain and will likely head out on a rehab assignment shortly.
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Jeremy Pena SS | HOU
Astros' Jeremy Pena: Remains out Monday
Pena (neck) is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rangers.
Pena will sit out for a fourth consecutive game while he continues to contend with neck tightness. Mauricio Dubon will fill in at shortstop for Pena and bat second in the series finale in Arlington. According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Pena was spotted fielding grounders prior to Monday's contest, so the 25-year-old is still seemingly being viewed as day-to-day and could avoid a stint on the injured list.
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Tim Anderson 2B | LAA
White Sox's Tim Anderson: Still hitting poorly
Anderson went 2-for-4 with a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base Sunday against the Athletics.
Anderson tallied his second multi-hit effort in his last four starts, though he's still hitting just .172 across his last 22 games. He's stolen only three bases and scored seven runs in that span, providing little fantasy appeal. Anderson has also still yet to go yard and has an abysmal .036 ISO across 263 plate appearances on the campaign.
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Orlando Arcia 2B | MIN
Braves' Orlando Arcia: Swats seventh homer
Arcia went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's win over the Marlins.
The shortstop celebrated his All-Star berth -- he's one of a franchise-record eight Atlanta players named to the Midsummer Classic -- by swatting a Sandy Alcantara pitch over the wall in center field in the second inning. Arcia has slumped at the plate lately, going 4-for-41 (.098) over his last 10 games, but on the season he still sports a .296/.349/.439 slash line with seven homers, 28 RBI and 33 runs through 62 contests.
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Ezequiel Duran 2B | TEX
Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Getting day off
Duran is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Astros.
Duran appears to be receiving some routine maintenance for the matinee game after he started in left field or at designated hitter in each of Texas' last 15 contests. With Duran moving to the bench, the Rangers will have a spot open in the lineup at designated hitter for Josh Smith.
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Brandon Crawford SS | STL
Giants' Brandon Crawford: Managing side issue
Manager Gabe Kapler said after Sunday's loss to the Mets that Crawford is dealing with a side injury, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Crawford appeared to sustain his injury while making a diving play in the eighth inning, but he was able to remain in the game. He went 1-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts in the defeat. The 36-year-old will be re-evaluated Monday and should tentatively be considered day-to-day.
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Javier Baez SS | DET
Tigers' Javier Baez: Smacks grand slam
Baez went 1-for-5 with a grand slam in Sunday's 14-9 win over the Rockies.
Baez made an early impact with his one-out blast off Connor Seabold in the first inning. The homer snapped a 13-game power drought for Baez, who hit just .176 (9-for-51) in that span. He's tracking for a career low in homers over a full season -- he has just six through 79 contests so far. The shortstop is slashing a paltry .223/.258/.331 with 42 RBI, 32 runs scored and six stolen bases this year.
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Trevor Story SS | BOS
Red Sox's Trevor Story: Taking live batting practice
Story (elbow) is scheduled to take live batting practice Tuesday, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.
The veteran shortstop previously indicated a return in August could be possible, though manager Alex Cora decline to offer any sort of return timeline Sunday. Story's advancement to facing live pitching is encouraging news, but the progression of his throwing program is likely of greater importance given he's returning from internal bracing surgery in his right elbow.
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David Fletcher 2B | ATL
Angels' David Fletcher: Settles in as primary shortstop
Fletcher will start at shortstop and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.
Following Zach Neto's (oblique) placement on the injured list June 15, Andrew Velazquez received the first look as the Angels' new everyday shortstop, but that role appears to have since fallen to Fletcher. After producing a .742 OPS with six RBI and a run scored since his June 24 call-up from Triple-A Salt Lake, Fletcher will pick up his eighth start at shortstop Sunday in a nine-game stretch.