MLB Player News

Lee went 3-for-5 with two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday's 11-3 win over the Nationals.

Lee continued a strong stretch at the plate, ripping a two-RBI double in his first at-bat before adding another run-scoring double in the ninth inning. The infielder has been one of Minnesota's hottest hitters lately, batting .362 over his last 12 games. On the season, Lee is slashing .270/.323/.435 with five homers, four doubles, 21 RBI, 16 runs scored and two stolen bases across 124 plate appearances.

Buxton went 1-for-6 with a three-run home run in Tuesday's 11-3 win over the Nationals.

Buxton was quiet early, starting the day 0-for-4 before breaking through in the eighth inning with a three-run homer off Andre Granillo that effectively put the game away. The blast was his 11th of the season, with all 11 coming over his last 19 games during an incredible power surge. Over that span, Buxton is batting 25-for-85 (.294) with 16 RBI and 16 runs scored across 91 plate appearances.

Cavalli (1-2) took the loss Tuesday against the Twins, allowing six runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out two over four innings.

Cavalli unraveled in the fourth inning, when he threw 40 pitches and struggled badly with his command. The right-hander opened the frame yielding a single and issuing back-to-back walks to load the bases before mishandling a weak grounder from Brooks Lee, allowing a run to score on the error. Later in the inning, Trevor Larnach delivered a two-run double that extended Minnesota's lead. Entering Tuesday, Cavalli had limited opponents to two or fewer earned runs in six of his seven starts and had struck out 10 batters in each of his previous two outings. He now owns a 4.15 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and a 40:17 K:BB across 34.2 innings and is set to face Miami in his next scheduled start.

Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a second RBI in Tuesday's 10-5 loss to the Padres.

Rodriguez has started each of the last two games behind the dish. He went 0-for-3 in his debut Monday, but he didn't have to wait long for his first big-league homer, taking Jeremiah Estrada deep in the seventh inning. Rodriguez is known to have a good eye at the plate and steady contact skills, but that comes with just modest power. The Giants also have Patrick Bailey and Eric Haase on the big-league roster, as well as Daniel Susac (elbow) on the injured list, so the playing-time battle behind the dish may just be heating up. Of the group, Rodriguez likely has the most promising long-term bat, but his defense could initially limit his opportunities. The Giants have a fairly crowded infield, but Rodriguez displayed versatility in the minor leagues, seeing time at first base, second base, third base and left field, which could give him more avenues to playing time in the majors.

Schmitt went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 10-5 loss to the Padres.

Schmitt homered for the second game in a row when he took Walker Buehler deep in the first inning. Over his last 11 contests, Schmitt is batting .350 (14-for-40) with four homers and 10 RBI. The infielder is hitting .306 with a .914 OPS, six homers, 18 RBI, 14 runs scored and two stolen bases over 30 contests this season. With the addition of prospect Bryce Eldridge to the big-league roster, Schmitt may have to settle for a utility role, but he's hitting well enough to make that a tough daily decision as manager Tony Vitello fills out his lineup card. Schmitt could also push struggling veterans Rafael Devers and Willy Adames for playing time at first base and shortstop, respectively.

Bradley (4-1) earned the win Tuesday against the Nationals, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out eight over six innings.

Bradley had to battle early, needing 51 pitches just to get through the first two innings, but he settled in nicely afterward and dominated for long stretches. He retired 11 straight batters before Daylen Lile broke the run with a two-out double in the fifth inning. Bradley continues to provide reliable production, now allowing two or fewer runs in seven of his eight starts this season. The right-hander owns a 2.87 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 52:17 K:BB across 47 innings and is slated to face Cleveland in his next outing.

Song went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI, a stolen base and two runs scored in Tuesday's 10-5 win over the Giants.

Song logged his first career plate appearances in this contest, and he delivered a good performance. The 29-year-old infielder looks to be part of the mix to cover second base in the absence of Jake Cronenworth (concussion), whose placement on the 7-day injured list opened up the roster spot for Song to get promoted. Fernando Tatis is also a candidate to see time at the keystone in Cronenworth's absence, but Song could make a strong case for himself if he strings together a few good games at the plate.

Sheets went 2-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's 10-5 win over the Giants.

Sheets had gone 0-for-9 with a walk and three strikeouts over his previous five games. The 30-year-old ended the slump with his first multi-hit effort since April 15 against the Mariners. He's hitting .224 with a .708 OPS, four home runs, 12 RBI, 12 runs scored, nine doubles and two steals across 104 plate appearances. Sheets has seen the bulk of his playing time at first base this year, but Ty France's recent strong hitting could force more of a timeshare at that position. Sheets also competes with Miguel Andujar for playing time at designated hitter and in the corner outfield, so the former will need to get his bat right to avoid losing playing time.

Andujar went 3-for-5 with a triple, a double, one RBI and one run scored in Tuesday's 10-5 win over the Giants.

Andujar saw an eight-game hitting streak end Monday, but he bounced back with his second three-hit effort of the season. While he wasn't able to complete a cycle, Andujar has shown some power with a pair of homers over his last six games. He's been pretty good overall this season, batting .322 with an .869 OPS, two homers, 10 RBI, nine runs scored, seven doubles, two triples and a stolen base over 25 contests. There should be room for Andujar in the lineup as long as his bat stays hot.

Merrill went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI, a stolen base and two runs scored in Tuesday's 10-5 win over the Giants.

He's gone 8-for-17 (.471) over four contests in May, adding a home run, three RBI and two steals. Merrill was atop the lineup for just the second time all season, as Ramon Laureano was given the day off Tuesday. Merrill's recent hitting should help him turn his season around. Even with the hot stretch, he's at a .235 average and .673 OPS for the year. The outfielder has added four homers, seven steals, 18 RBI, 22 runs scored and seven doubles over 34 contests.