MLB Player News
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Alex Freeland SS | LAD
Dodgers' Alex Freeland: On bench after four straight starts
Freeland is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.
Freeland had started at either second base or third base in each of the Dodgers' previous four games and went 2-for-14 with two walks, two runs and one RBI, but he'll hit the bench for the series finale. Max Muncy should serve as Los Angeles' primary option at third base now that he's healthy again, but Freeland could rank as the team's preferred second baseman over Miguel Rojas until the Dodgers get one of Hyeseong Kim (shoulder) or Tommy Edman (ankle) back from the injured list.
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Otto Kemp 3B | PHI
Phillies' Otto Kemp: Losing playing time at 3B
Kemp is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.
With Edmundo Sosa emerging as the Phillies' preferred option at third base in the absence of Alec Bohm (rib), Kemp will be on the bench for the second day in a row. Kemp has posted a respectable .740 OPS since the All-Star break but has struck out at a 30.9 percent clip.
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Anthony Seigler C | MIL
Brewers' Anthony Seigler: Idle against lefty
Seigler is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets.
The switch-hitting Seigler has been seeing more starts against right-handed pitching lately at Caleb Durbin's expense, but Durbin remains the Brewers' clear top option at third base when Milwaukee faces a lefty, such as Mets starter Sean Manaea. Seigler has done little at the plate to earn extra playing time however, batting just .192 (5-for-26) since the All-Star break with zero extra-base hits.
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Mark Vientos DH | NYM
Mets' Mark Vientos: Heading to bench amid poor stretch
Vientos is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.
Vientos will head to the bench for the second time in the series while the Mets go with Jeff McNeil at designated hitter, Brett Baty at second base and Ronny Mauricio at third base. Since swatting a grand slam July 28, Vientos has fallen into a skid at the plate, posting a .526 OPS over his last eight contests.
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Graham Pauley 3B | MIA
Marlins' Graham Pauley: Checking out of lineup
Pauley is out of the lineup for Sunday's game in Atlanta.
After going 2-for-12 with a pair of home runs, three RBI and a stolen base while starting the last five games, Pauley will retreat to the bench while Atlanta sends southpaw Joey Wentz to the bump. Javier Sanoja will spell Pauley at the hot corner.
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Nolan Arenado 3B | STL
Cardinals' Nolan Arenado: Will not return during road trip
The Cardinals do not expect Arenado (shoulder) to return from the 10-day injured list during their upcoming Aug. 18-24 road trip, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Arenado reported to the team's spring training facility in Florida on Friday and his focus for the first week he's there will be to regain strength in his injured right shoulder. It's not clear when the veteran third baseman might be ready to rejoin the Cardinals' active roster. St. Louis has used Nolan Gorman (six starts) and Thomas Saggese (two starts) at the hot corner since Arenado landed on the IL.
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Max Muncy 3B | LAD
Dodgers' Max Muncy: Lifts two-run homer
Muncy went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Saturday's 9-1 win over the Blue Jays.
Muncy got the scoring started Saturday with an opposite-field, two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the fourth inning. The third baseman has put together a productive season overall and has been particularly hot recently, slashing .333/.465/.678 with nine homers and 29 RBI over his past 30 contests.
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Matt Shaw SS | CHC
Cubs' Matt Shaw: Homer, triple in win
Shaw went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, an RBI triple, a walk and a second run scored in Saturday's 9-1 win over the Cardinals.
Shaw had gone 13 games without multiple hits, batting just .231 (9-for-39), albeit with three homers and four doubles, in that span. The third baseman contributed his hits in the third and fifth innings but wasn't able to threaten for a cycle. The rookie is up to eight homers, 28 RBI, 39 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 15 doubles, one triple and a .227/.292/.383 slash line through 82 games this season.
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Noelvi Marte 3B | CIN
Reds' Noelvi Marte: Doubles thrice in win
Marte went 3-for-4 with three doubles, one run scored and one RBI in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Pirates.
Marte got the Reds on the board with an RBI double in the fourth inning before scoring the game-winning run in the seventh. It was a much-needed showing for the 23-year-old, who entered the game in a 2-for-18 slump through six August contests. For the season, he's slashing .277/.320/.482 with seven homers, 29 RBI, 23 runs scored and seven steals across 178 plate appearances.
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Nicky Lopez 3B | ARI
Cubs' Nicky Lopez: Returning to Cubs
Lopez agreed to a minor-league contract with the Cubs on Saturday, Tommy Birch of The Des Moines Register reports.
Lopez will report to Triple-A Iowa for what will be his third stint of the season with the Cubs organization. The veteran infielder has appeared in 19 games in the majors with the Cubs and Angels in 2025 but has spent the majority of his time at the Triple-A level. Across stops with the Diamondbacks' and Yankees' Triple-A affiliates, Lopez has slashed .266/.316/.323 with zero home runs and five stolen bases over 41 games.