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Aaron Judge RF | NYY
Yankees' Aaron Judge: Fuels big win Friday
Judge went 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run, two runs scored, three RBI and a stolen base in Friday's 8-2 win over the Marlins.
The Yankees' captain got the offense rolling with a two-run shot off Eury Perez in the first inning. The homer was Judge's third of the season while the steal was his first, but through seven games he's still batting just .185 (5-for-27) with a 2:12 BB:K.
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Lawrence Butler RF | ATH
Athletics' Lawrence Butler: Swats first homer of season
Butler went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run, an additional RBI and two total runs scored in Friday's 11-4 win over the Astros.
Butler had an RBI single in the third inning before taking Houston reliever Roddery Munoz deep in the fourth. This was Butler's first big game of the season -- he had gone just 1-for-12 over his first five contests. The outfielder is now hitting .235 with three strikeouts over 18 plate appearances. Butler had a 20-20 season (21 long balls, 22 stolen bases) in 152 games last year, so he'll offer both power and speed from the middle of the order against right-handed pitchers once he gets his hitting on track.
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Austin Hays LF | SD
White Sox's Austin Hays: Knocks in pair
Hays went 1-for-5 with two RBI on Friday against the Blue Jays.
Hays made his lone hit of the day count, knocking in two with a single in the third inning. He has struggled overall to begin the season, striking out 10 times in 24 plate appearances while also logging only four hits. However, those knocks have been timely, as Hays has five RBI across six games.
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Taylor Ward RF | SEA
Orioles' Taylor Ward: Reaches base three times
Ward went 1-for-3 with a double, one RBI and two walks in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Pirates.
The Orioles' leadoff man continues to showcase his on-base skills early on this season, as he's now slashing .333/.424/.444 across 33 plate appearances. Ward is still looking for his first home run with Baltimore, but he's doubled three times with five RBI, two runs scored and a 5:7 BB:K through seven appearances.
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Chase DeLauter RF | CLE
Guardians' Chase DeLauter: Big impact in lineup return
DeLauter went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and three RBI in Friday's 4-1 win over the Cubs.
DeLauter fouled a ball off of his foot Tuesday against the Dodgers and had been out of the lineup since, but he returned in a big way Friday. The 24-year-old drove in three of the four runs scored by the Guardians, with his biggest swing being a two-run home run to extend the Guardians' lead from one to three. It was DeLauter's fifth home run on the young season, tied for the most in MLB alongside Shea Langeliers.
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Chase DeLauter RF | CLE
Guardians' Chase DeLauter: Returns to Guardians' lineup
DeLauter (foot) will start at designated hitter and bat second in Friday's game versus the Cubs.
DeLauter had to depart Tuesday's game against the Dodgers after fouling a ball off his foot. X-rays came back clean, and he's feeling well enough to serve as the DH as the Guardians kick off their first homestand of the season.
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Everson Pereira LF | STL
White Sox's Everson Pereira: Sitting out Friday
Pereira (ankle) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Blue Jays.
Pereira was removed from the White Sox's last game Wednesday versus the Marlins due to left ankle soreness. It's unclear whether the injury is still lingering or if manager Will Venable simply preferred Tristan Peters in right field for Chicago's home opener. Pereira has started five games in right field this season, while Peters has made six starts in total (four in center field, two in right field).
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Stuart Fairchild CF | SEA
Guardians' Stuart Fairchild: Playing at Triple-A
Fairchild is batting .333 (6-for-18) with four walks, a double, two home runs, two RBI and five runs scored over five games for Triple-A Columbus.
The 30-year-old Fairchild was unsuccessful in his bid to earn a roster spot with the Guardians and accepted a position with the club's Triple-A affiliate. He's appeared in all but one game for the Clippers and is an experienced major leaguer should the need arise in Cleveland.
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Jesus Sanchez DH | ARI
Blue Jays' Jesus Sanchez: Rewinding swing mechanics
Sanchez has been working to get back to the swing he had earlier in his career, rather than the one he was using last season with the Marlins and Astros, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
The 28-year-old initially hit the big leagues in 2020 with a more upright stance, but over the years Sanchez's bat became parallel to the ground and he adopted a bit of a crouch. Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins has helped him return to more natural, comfortable mechanics at the plate, and the early results have been very positive -- Sanchez has gone 6-for-16 over his first five games with Toronto with a homer, four RBI and a 2:2 BB:K. Sanchez also got his first start of the year against a left-handed pitcher Wednesday as he tries to break out of a strict platoon role. He's never slugged more than 18 homers in a season or posted an OPS over .777 in anything close to a full campaign (he managed an .808 OPS in 64 games for Miami in 2021), but the Jays believe Sanchez has more offense to unlock.
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Wilyer Abreu RF | BOS
Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu: Hot stick continues
Abreu went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 6-4 loss to the Astros.
Abreu belted his third home run of the season in the eighth inning. While his teammates are struggling, Abreu has stood out as the team's best weapon at the plate. He's hit safely in five of six games, with multiple hits in four of them, and is 10-for-24 (.417) with three doubles, three home runs and six RBI.