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Nolan Gorman 3B | STL
Cardinals' Nolan Gorman: Playing time drying up
Gorman is absent from the lineup for Friday's contest versus the Cubs.
Gorman has now been in the lineup just twice across the Cardinals' last nine games. They have faced five lefties over that span, but this will be the second time during the stretch he's sat out versus a righty, as Javier Assad will be taking the ball for the Cubs on Friday. Meanwhile, each of Brendan Donovan's past five and seven of his last eight starts have come at second base.
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Mike Tauchman CF | NYM
Cubs' Mike Tauchman: Out of lineup again Friday
Tauchman is not in the lineup for Friday's contest against the Cardinals.
All four of Cody Bellinger's starts since he returned from the injured list have come from the designated hitter spot, as the Cubs appear to be protecting the finger injury that sent him to the IL. The result is Tauchman being out of the lineup for four straight games even after he contributed a walk-off RBI double in Thursday's comeback win. Bellinger should eventually return to playing the field, but until that happens, Tauchman will mostly be a bench bat.
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Miguel Amaya C | CHC
Cubs' Miguel Amaya: Out of Friday's lineup
Amaya is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Cardinals.
He was behind the dish for the series opener Thursday but will yield to Christian Bethancourt for Friday's afternoon tilt. Amaya has now made five starts to Bethancourt's three since Tomas Nido (knee) went on the injured list.
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Ranger Suarez SP | BOS
Phillies' Ranger Suarez: Eyeing minimum-length IL stint
The Phillies remain hopeful that Suarez (back) will return from the 15-day injured list to make a start during the club's four-game series in Arizona that begins next Thursday, MLB.com reports.
Suarez is first eligible to come off the IL next Wednesday after he was deactivated July 27 due to lower-back soreness. The Phillies seemingly placed Suarez on the IL as a matter of precaution more than anything else, given that he had already been dealing with spasms on the right side of his back heading into the All-Star break. The lefty hasn't been shut down from throwing, so assuming he's able to complete a bullpen session and/or face hitters without issue this weekend or early next week, he should be cleared to rejoin the rotation in Arizona.
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Spencer Turnbull RP | TOR
Phillies' Spencer Turnbull: Completes side session
Turnbull (lat) tossed a 10-pitch bullpen session Monday at Citizens Bank Park, MLB.com reports.
Assuming Turnbull escaped the side session free of setbacks, he'll shift his rehab program to the Phillies' spring training facility in Clearwater, Fla. and continue building back up. At the time Turnbull was placed on the 15-day injured list June 27 with a right lat strain, manager Rob Thomson estimated that the right-hander would be sidelined for 6-to-8 weeks. Since Turnbull doesn't look as though he'll be a realistic option to return from the IL until mid-to-late August, the Phillies have already indicated that the 31-year-old probably won't have sufficient time to get stretched out for a starting role and will likely be ticketed for the bullpen.
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Jake Cave LF | COL
Rockies' Jake Cave: Game-tying homer in ninth
Cave went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Thursday's extra-inning win over the Angels.
Cave went down on strikes in two of his first three at-bats before launching a two-run shot in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 4-4. It marked the outfielder's fourth long ball since the start of July and he's now hit safely in eight of his last nine starts. Still, he's batting just .222 (8-for-36) over that stretch with no multi-hit performances. Cave has also struck out twice in four of his last five contests.
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Taijuan Walker SP | LAA
Phillies' Taijuan Walker: Struggles in first rehab start
Walker (finger) surrendered three runs (two earned) on four hits and one walk while striking out three over 2.2 innings in his rehab start Wednesday with Double-A Reading. He also hit a batter with a pitch.
Overall, Walker did a decent job of finding the zone with 31 strikes on 41 pitches, but he induced only four swings and misses on the day. He was able to avoid hard contact for the most part, with a double representing the only extra-base knock among the four hits he allowed. According to Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Walker is scheduled to move his rehab assignment to Triple-A Lehigh Valley for another start Tuesday, after which he could be activated from the 15-day injured list. Walker has been on the shelf since June 23 with right index finger inflammation.
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Tyler Kinley RP | DET
Rockies' Tyler Kinley: Picks up sixth save
Kinley picked up the save in an extra-inning win over the Angels on Thursday, striking out one over a perfect 10th inning.
Kinley's number was called in the bottom of the 10th as Colorado looked to hang onto its 3-2 lead. The right-hander did not disappoint, retiring all three batters he faced on 15 pitches to secure his sixth save of the campaign and first since June 11 against the Twins. Victor Vodnik has been serving as the primary closer for the Rockies in the absence of Daniel Bard, though Kinley got the late-inning call after the former was needed in the ninth. The 33-year-old has not allowed any hits or runs in three straight appearances.
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Michael Toglia 1B | CIN
Rockies' Michael Toglia: Smacks 19th homer in win
Toglia went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Thursday's extra-inning win over the Angels.
Toglia jumped on the second pitch he saw from Carson Fulmer in the second inning and sent it into the stands for a two-run shot, giving Colorado an early lead. It marked the first baseman's third long ball in his last six games and his 10th since the start of July. Toglia has also tallied multiple hits in three of his last eight contests, batting .300 over that stretch with six RBI and seven runs scored.
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Ryan Feltner SP | COL
Rockies' Ryan Feltner: Logs quality start
Feltner did not factor into the decision in Thursday's extra-inning win over the Angels, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk over six innings while striking out three.
Feltner kept the Angels off the board through the first three innings before surrendering a two-run shot to Logan O'Hoppe in the bottom of the fourth, tying the game at 2-2. The right-hander would then go on to allow a second long ball in the sixth, losing out on his chance for the win as the Angels took the lead. Feltner has now logged three quality starts in a row, though he's also given up multiple home runs in two of his last three outings. He's still looking for his first win since April 12 against the Blue Jays (span of 19 starts).