Oscar Mercado

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• Guardians' Oscar Mercado: Swipes first bag of campaign

  5D ago •

  Mercado went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in a 3-2 win over the Twins on Saturday. Mercado's lone hit of the contest was a single in the seventh inning, and he followed the base knock by swiping second base. The theft was his first of the campaign after he failed on his first two attempts. Mercado swiped 15 bags in his rookie 2019 season and notched as many as 50 thefts in the minors, but he'll need to reach base more often to make use of his speed. Through Saturday, he has a meager .235 on-base percentage.

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• Guardians' Oscar Mercado: Productive in win

  6D ago •

  Mercado went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run, an additional run scored and three strikeouts in Friday's 12-8 loss to the Twins. Mercado's playing time has cratered since Amed Rosario was made the Guardians' primary left fielder, which bumped Steven Kwan to right field. The ripple effects of Josh Naylor (illness) going on the COVID-19 injured list allowed Mercado to start in right field Friday, and he did fairly well with the opportunity. The 27-year-old owns a .205/.234/.452 slash line with four homers, 15 RBI, nine runs scored, four doubles and a triple through 77 plate appearances. When the Guardians are fully healthy, Mercado projects as a fourth outfielder.

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• Guardians' Oscar Mercado: Back on bench Sunday

  19D ago •

  Mercado is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics. Mercado will sit for the fourth time in seven games and looks to have moved into a part-time role following Owen Miller's recent return from a stint on the COVID-19 injured list as well as Steven Kwan's return from a five-game absence due to a hamstring Injury. Though he made an early fantasy splash by supplying three home runs, a triple, a double and nine RBI through the Guardians' first six games, Mercado has produced only three extra-base hits -- all doubles -- and two RBI since that time.

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• Guardians' Oscar Mercado: Solid in doubleheader

  29D ago •

  Mercado went 3-for-7 with two RBI and a run scored across both games in Wednesday's doubleheader versus the White Sox. Considering Mercado went just 1-for-7 during last weekend's series versus the Giants, this was an encouraging pair of games. The 27-year-old started in right field and batted eighth in both contests. For the season, he's slashing .188/.188/.563 with three home runs, nine RBI and four runs scored through nine contests. The Guardians' current COVID-19 outbreak should keep him in a regular role if he avoids getting sick, but Mercado will likely be a part-time player once everyone's healthy.

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• Guardians' Oscar Mercado: Not yet affected by Naylor's return

  30D ago •

  Mercado will start in right field and bat eighth in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader with the White Sox, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports. Though Josh Naylor returned from the 10-day injured list Friday to further crowd the Guardians' outfield ranks, Mercado thus far hasn't been too affected from a playing-time standpoint. Mercado has now started at either corner-outfield spot in three of the Guardians' four games since Naylor's return. At the very least, Mercado seems well positioned to hold down a short-side platoon role, and he could continue to see time against right-handed pitching if he maintains his power production. Mercado is getting on base at a weak .188 clip this season, but five of his six hits on the campaign have gone for extra bases.

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