MLB Player News
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Ezequiel Duran SS | TEX
Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Belts big two-run homer
Duran went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run Monday in a 3-2 win over the Rays.
Shane McClanahan dominated Texas for five innings before Duran provided a key turning point with his game-tying two-run shot off the Tampa Bay ace in the sixth. It was the emerging slugger's first hit since the All-Star break -- he had gone 0-for-7 with four strikeouts prior to that point. Duran is enjoying a very strong campaign overall, however, slashing .301/.336/.523 with 13 homers, 37 RBI, 38 runs and four steals over 73 contests.
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Orelvis Martinez 2B | WAS
Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Jumps to Triple-A
Martinez was promoted to Triple-A Buffalo on Monday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Martinez owns a .226 batting average through 70 contests at Double-A New Hampshire, but he's gotten progressively better after a disastrous April (.089 average over 15 games), turning in a .280/.391/.480 slash line with three home runs and 11 RBI in 23 June matchups and a 7-for-19 start to July. As Matheson notes, it'll be worth keeping an eye on Marinez's playing time at the hot corner down the stretch of the regular season with Matt Chapman due to become a free agent at the conclusion of the 2023 campaign.
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Dansby Swanson SS | CHC
Cubs' Dansby Swanson: Takes batting practice
Swanson (heel) took batting practice on the field Monday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Swanson was not able to come off the injured list when first eligible over the weekend, but he seems to be close. The shortstop has been on the shelf for the last week-and-a-half with a bruised left heel. It's not clear whether he might need a rehab assignment before being activated.
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Javier Baez SS | DET
Tigers' Javier Baez: Grabbing seat Monday
Baez is out of the lineup for Monday's game in Kansas City.
Baez has shown no signs of righting the ship so far in July, batting just .167/.186/.262. Zach McKinstry will handle shortstop Monday while Baez regroups.
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Brandon Crawford SS | STL
Giants' Brandon Crawford: Idle versus lefty
Crawford is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Reds, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
He'll join fellow left-handed-hitting regulars LaMonte Wade and Joc Pederson on the bench for the series opener while the Reds bring southpaw Brandon Williamson to the hill. Casey Schmitt will step in for Crawford at shortstop.
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Miguel Rojas 2B | LAD
Dodgers' Miguel Rojas: Resting Monday
Rojas is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Orioles, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Rojas will take a seat for the first time in the second half after he went a collective 2-for-11 with an RBI and a run scored while starting all three games of the Dodgers' series with the Mets this past weekend. Chris Taylor will spell Rojas at shortstop Monday as the Dodgers' road trip shifts to Baltimore.
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C.J. Abrams SS | WAS
Nationals' CJ Abrams: Continues to shine at top of order
Abrams went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and two runs scored in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals.
The 22-year-old accounted for half of Washington's hits on the afternoon. Abrams has flipped the switch in July, producing seven multi-hit performances in 11 games and slashing .395/.435/.628 with seven steals, three doubles, two triples and a homer. He's hit safely in six straight games since moving into the leadoff spot for the Nationals, batting .480 (12-for-25) and scoring eight runs, and he appears to be on the brink of a breakout second half.
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Bobby Witt SS | KC
Royals' Bobby Witt: Homers again in win
Witt went 2-for-4 with a home run, a triple and three RBI in Sunday's 8-4 win over the Rays.
Witt knocked in a pair of runs with his second-inning triple and added the solo shot in the fifth. All four of his hits over the last three games have gone for extra bases, and he's on a seven-game hitting streak. The shortstop is slashing .259/.301/.463 with 16 long balls, 51 RBI, 50 runs scored and 27 stolen bases through 93 contests. He's also tied with Shohei Ohtani for the major-league lead with six triples.
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Xander Bogaerts SS | SD
Padres' Xander Bogaerts: Smacks 11th homer
Bogaerts went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's extra-innings loss to the Phillies.
Bogaerts tagged Zack Wheeler for a solo shot in the fourth frame, pushing his season total to 11, which stands ninth among shortstops. In the month of July (12 games), Bogaerts is batting .255 with three homers, eight RBI and four multi-hit performances.
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J.P. Crawford SS | SEA
Mariners' J.P. Crawford: Perfect day at plate
Crawford went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a run scored and a walk in Sunday's win over Detroit.
Crawford doubled and scored in the first inning and later knocked his 20th double of the year. He'd been stuck in a 5-for-23 (.217) run since his last multi-hit game July 5, but he's still hitting .370 this month. Crawford improved his season slash line to .258/.368/.402 with 28 extra-base hits and 48 runs scored through 362 plate appearances.