MLB Player News
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Ethan Roberts RP | CHC
Cubs' Ethan Roberts: Tagged with loss in relief
Roberts (0-1) was tagged with the loss in Wednesday's extra-inning defeat against the Athletics. He allowed an unearned run and didn't record a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning.
Roberts entered the game in the 10th inning with a runner on second, but he couldn't get the job done and was lifted after the A's had already grabbed the lead. Roberts has been one of the few bright spots for the Cubs' bullpen this season, but he's allowed three runs (two earned) in his last two outings (1.2 innings). However, considering he allowed just one run over his first 11 appearances (15 innings), some regression was to be expected.
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Colin Rea SP | CHC
Cubs' Colin Rea: Tosses 5.1 innings in no-decision
Rea didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the A's. He tossed 5.1 innings and allowed two runs on four hits and two walks, striking out three.
Rea came just two outs short of posting a quality start, and he delivered a very similar line to that of his previous outing on the road against the Pirates, where he also allowed two runs across 5.1 frames. However, Rea has allowed multiple runs in each of his last five appearances and only has one quality start over that stretch, posting a 5.40 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with a 17:10 K:BB across 26.2 innings in that span. Rea is slated to make his next start next week on the road against the Rockies, which is far from the ideal matchup with which to try and curtail his struggles.
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Jung Hoo Lee RF | SF
Giants' Jung Hoo Lee: Multi-hit effort in win
Lee went 2-for-4 in Wednesday's 1-0 win over the Brewers.
Lee hit singles in the fourth and eighth innings, logging his fourth multi-hit effort in six games since returning from the injured list. He's recorded at least one hit in each of his last 11 outings, batting .488 with eight runs scored, six RBI and a home run in 42 plate appearances during that span. Overall, he's slashing .310/.346/.433 with 25 runs scored, 20 RBI and three long balls across 217 plate appearances this season.
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Blake Dunn CF | CIN
Reds' Blake Dunn: Accounts for offense in loss
Dunn batted leadoff and went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Royals.
Dunn's two-run shot in the fifth inning was his second home run. He's cooled off since a hot start upon his call-up -- Dunn entered Wednesday on a 2-for-20 stretch -- and his .590 OPS over nine games as the leadoff batter may lead to more changes atop the order.
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Matt McLain 2B | CIN
Reds' Matt McLain: Filling in at shortstop
McLain started at shortstop and went 1-for-3 with a run scored in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to Kansas City.
McLain has started all three games at shortstop since Elly De La Cruz (hamstring) landed on the injured list. The Reds have slotted McLain in as the No. 9 hitter in all three games, while outfielder JJ Bleday has moved up to the No. 2 spot in the order in place of De La Cruz.
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Brandon Pfaadt RP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Brandon Pfaadt: May stretch out as starter
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Wednesday that there is a "strong possibility" that Pfaadt will be stretched back out for a starting role in the near future, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.
Pfaadt opened the season in Arizona's rotation but was shifted to a relief role after posting a 5.94 ERA over his first three starts. The move to the bullpen hasn't worked out; Pfaadt's ERA as a reliever rose to 5.91 following his appearance Wednesday, when he allowed two runs on three hits and two walks over one inning in a 7-0 loss to the Dodgers. If the Diamondbacks elect to have Pfaadt get stretched back out, he would likely be sent to the minors to do so and would presumably slot into the rotation at Triple-A Reno.
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J.T. Realmuto C | PHI
Phillies' J.T. Realmuto: Cracks go-ahead homer
Realmuto went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Padres.
After missing Tuesday's contest, Realmuto made an impact in his return Wednesday with his seventh-inning homer off Jason Adam, his third of the year, that put the Phillies ahead 2-1. Realmuto's gotten off to a slow start overall this year, slashing .223/.297/.323 through his first 145 plate appearances, though he's been better of late, posting an .845 OPS over his last nine contests.
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Bo Bichette 3B | NYM
Mets' Bo Bichette: Four hits in win
Bichette went 4-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's 7-1 win over the Mariners.
It was a much-needed performance from Bichette, who'd gone 0-for-13 over his previous four contests. He drove in two runs in the fourth inning with one of his four singles before adding a third RBI with a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Bichette is still slashing just .226/.280/.310 through 271 plate appearances this year with five home runs, 31 RBI and 29 runs scored.
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Alex Freeland 2B | LAD
Dodgers' Alex Freeland: Gets aboard four times
Freeland went 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBI in Wednesday's 7-0 win over the Diamondbacks.
Freeland has gone 6-for-11 with a double, a homer, four RBI and three runs over his last four games. The infielder's steal was his first of the season. He's hitting .254 with a .705 OPS, three home runs, 12 RBI, 14 runs scored and five doubles across 131 plate appearances. Freeland is poised to continue serving in a strong-side platoon role at second base at least until Tommy Edman (ankle) is ready for his season debut, which is likely to come in the middle of June.
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Kyle Tucker RF | LAD
Dodgers' Kyle Tucker: Opens scoring with homer
Tucker went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 7-0 win over the Diamondbacks.
Tucker put a 24-game power drought to rest with the second-inning blast, which was all the offense the Dodgers needed to get the win. During that span, the outfielder hit just .222 and slugged .370, adding eight doubles, two triples and nine RBI. Tucker's first year with the Dodger has been mediocre so far -- he's batting .243 with a .739 OPS, five homers, 29 RBI, 38 runs scored, 15 doubles, two triples and four stolen bases over 59 contests. He hasn't hit under .250 or posted an OPS under .800 in any full-length season in his career, so there's still some hope he'll be able to turn things around.