MLB Player News
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Lawrence Butler RF | ATH
Athletics' Lawrence Butler: Tallies two doubles Thursday
Butler went 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Red Sox.
The outfielder has logged multiple hits in back-to-back games and has shown signs of life at the plate since the All-Star break, going 10-for-33 (.303) with six extra-base hits, six RBI and seven runs across 13 contests. It would be a welcome development for the Athletics if the 26-year-old is able to turn things around in what has been a disappointing campaign. Overall, Butler is slashing .209/.309/.330 with six homers, 28 RBI, 38 runs and six stolen bases over 101 games.
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Matt Strahm RP | KC
Royals' Matt Strahm: Serves up walk-off grand slam
Strahm (3-4) blew the save and took the loss Thursday against the Twins. He allowed a walk-off grand slam to the lone batter he faced and was charged with one earned run.
Taking over for Lucas Erceg, Strahm entered with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning for a lefty-lefty matchup against Kody Clemens, but he wasn't able to get the job done. It was another tough appearance for Strahm, who has struggled to a 12.38 ERA and 2.13 WHIP across 11 appearances spanning eight innings in July. Overall, the veteran hurler owns a 7.27 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over 34.2 innings in what has been a season to forget.
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Brooks Raley RP | PHI
Mets' Brooks Raley: Pockets win Thursday
Raley (5-5) picked up the win Thursday against the Marlins, allowing one hit over 1.2 scoreless innings. He struck out one.
The southpaw won his third game in July with another sharp relief effort, as Raley fired 10 of 14 pitches for strikes while serving as the bridge between starter Nolan McLean and closer Devin Williams. Through 10 appearances and 9.1 innings this month, Raley has a 0.96 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and 6:2 K:BB while also collecting three holds. With the 38-year-old on an expiring contract, he could be the next Met out of the door ahead of the trade deadline after A.J. Minter was sent to the Twins on Thursday.
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Seiya Suzuki RF | CHC
Cubs' Seiya Suzuki: Grabbing seat Friday
Suzuki is not in the lineup for Friday's game versus the Yankees.
It's the first day off since June 25 for Suzuki, who is sporting a .978 OPS since the All-Star break. The Cubs will roll out Pedro Ramirez at third base while Alex Bregman gets a designated hitter day and Michael Conforto patrols right field.
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Jakob Marsee CF | MIA
Marlins' Jakob Marsee: Ends homer drought Thursday
Marsee went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's loss to the Mets.
The center fielder provided the last bit of offense for the Marlins in a 4-2 loss by taking Nolan McLean deep in the seventh inning. It was Marsee's first long ball since July 3, snapping an 18-game drought, and over 74 plate appearances on the month he's compiled a .237/.375/.356 slash line with two homers, one steal, six RBI and 11 runs.
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Kyle Stowers 1B | MIA
Marlins' Kyle Stowers: Finding power stroke
Stowers went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Thursday's loss to the Mets.
The 28-year-old took Nolan McLean deep in the fourth inning to open the scoring, Stowers' third homer in the last five games. That surge comes on the heels of a 12-game power drought, as the streaky slugger shows signs of breaking out. Seven of Stowers' 15 long balls on the season have come in July, but he's managed just a .230/.306/.506 slash line on the month in 23 contests with 10 runs and 13 RBI.
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Jazz Chisholm Jr. 2B | NYY
Yankees' Jazz Chisholm: Absent from Friday's lineup
Chisholm (leg) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Cubs.
Chisholm had to be lifted from Thursday's game against the White Sox due to cramping in his leg. However, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Friday that the infielder will be a "fully active player" for the series opener, per Greg Joyce of the New York Post. Chisholm's absence from the lineup is more about the Cubs starting a lefty in Shota Imanaga. Jose Caballero will handle second base for the Yankees.
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Mike Yastrzemski LF | ATL
Braves' Mike Yastrzemski: Belts first homer since break
Yastrzemski went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in Thursday's win over the Nationals.
Making the start in left field and batting eighth, Yastrzemski tied the game at 3-3 when he got hold of a hanging curveball from Jake Irvin in the fifth inning and drove it into the right-field seats. Yastrzemski hadn't gone yard since July 9, but he'd seen just 20 plate appearances in nine games between homers as he tries to hang onto a consistent spot in the lineup against right-handed pitching. Through 54 PAs in July, the 35-year-old has managed a .239/.333/.478 slash line with three of his seven home runs on the season, and 11 of his 30 RBI.