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Aaron Judge RF | NYY
Yankees' Aaron Judge: Early exit Wednesday
Judge was removed from Wednesday's game against the Twins in the top of the sixth inning, Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports.
Heliot Ramos pinch hit for Judge with a runner on base and the Yankees down 2-0. It's an odd spot to lift one of the best hitters in baseball, though Kuty suggests manager Aaron Boone may have simply wanted to give Judge a half day heading into Thursday's team off day. Judge just returned last week following a three-plus-month absence due to a stress fracture in his ribs.
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Hector Rodriguez RF | CIN
Reds' Hector Rodriguez: Sitting out versus Snell
Rodriguez is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Dodgers.
Rodriguez had made 19 straight starts, but the left-handed hitter will get a breather as the Dodgers send southpaw Blake Snell to the bump. The rookie outfielder is just 1-for-25 at the plate over his last seven contests. Juan Brito will cover right field for the Reds on Wednesday in what will be his first-ever start in the outfield in the majors.
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Spencer Jones CF | NYY
Yankees' Spencer Jones: Blossoming in September
Jones went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run against the Twins in an 8-1 victory Tuesday.
Jones broke the game open in the sixth inning with a three-run blast to center field that gave the Yankees a 7-1 lead. The 25-year-old had a quiet start to his MLB career, posting a .739 OPS across 65 games through the end of August. However, Jones has come alive in September, slashing .340/.415/.532 with two homers, 12 RBI, seven runs and one stolen base through his first 13 contests this month. He's still striking out too much -- Jones has a 34.0 percent strikeout rate in September and a 35.0 percent punchout rate overall this season -- but he's become New York's everyday center fielder, starting each of the Yankees' past 14 games at that position.
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Trent Grisham CF | NYY
Yankees' Trent Grisham: Going through running progression
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Grisham (hamstring) is "up to a pretty decent speed" in his running progression and is also doing other baseball activities, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
When Grisham was diagnosed with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain in early September, Boone conceded that the outfielder could miss the remainder of the regular season. A return remains up in the air, but Grisham has given himself a chance with how he's progressed in his rehab. Spencer Jones is slashing .361/.425/.528 in 10 games since taking over for Grisham in center field, and Jones could keep the starting job even if Grisham does make it back.
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Cody Bellinger LF | NYY
Yankees' Cody Bellinger: Posts big game with bat Tuesday
Bellinger went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk in Tuesday's 8-1 win against Minnesota.
Bellinger continued his recent power surge with a two-run blast in the first inning. The All-Star outfielder has homered four times across his past seven games, adding two doubles and four RBI during that span. Bellinger has been red hot since late August, slashing .377/.380/.594 with seven extra-base hits and 12 RBI across his past 17 contests.
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Teoscar Hernandez LF | LAD
Dodgers' Teoscar Hernandez: Goes deep again Tuesday
Hernandez went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Tuesday's 4-0 victory over the Reds.
Hernandez gave Los Angeles a 3-0 lead with his two-run blast to left field in the third inning. It was his second long ball in as many days and his third over his past seven games. Hernandez has reached base safely in 13 of his past 14 contests, slashing a robust .417/.517/.771 with four home runs, nine runs, 18 RBI and three stolen bases over that stretch. He had a quiet .706 OPS during the first half of the campaign, but since the All-Star break his OPS is at .842 across 51 games.
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Walker Jenkins CF | MIN
Twins' Walker Jenkins: Taking seat against lefty
Jenkins is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Yankees.
It's the second straight day that the left-handed-swinging Jenkins has been out of the lineup against a lefty (in this case, Carlos Rodon). Jenkins has really struggled early on in his big-league tenure, going 4-for-45 (.089) with a 30.2 percent strikeout rate. Emmanuel Rodriguez is in center field for Minnesota on Wednesday.
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Braden Montgomery RF | CHW
White Sox's Braden Montgomery: Playing time continues to tumble
Montgomery is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game in Cleveland.
Montgomery has been held out of the lineup for two straight contests (both against lefties) and in three of the past four games. The rookie outfielder is sporting a .495 OPS thus far in September. Tristan Peters will shift to right field Wednesday while Brenton Doyle patrols center field for the White Sox.