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Abimelec Ortiz 1B | WAS
Nationals' Abimelec Ortiz: Sitting against lefty
Ortiz is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers.
Ortiz continues to see time in the heart of the batting order against right-handed pitching, but he will head to the bench against another lefty (Justin Wrobleski), as he did Friday against Blake Snell in the series opener. Andres Chaparro will step in for Ortiz at first base. Through his first 31 games in the majors, the 24-year-old Ortiz is slashing .202/.240/.384 with five homers and 11 RBI.
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Keibert Ruiz C | WAS
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: On bench Sunday
Ruiz is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers.
Ruiz took a foul tip off his catcher's mask Wednesday, but he passed concussion protocol and returned to the lineup Saturday, finishing 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Harry Ford will step in behind the plate Sunday to catch for lefty Andrew Alvarez.
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Emmet Sheehan SP | LAD
Dodgers' Emmet Sheehan: Slated for bulk duty Monday
Sheehan will be recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to throw the bulk of the innings Monday against the Reds, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
The 26-year-old right-hander will return for his 21st appearance for the major-league team this season, and while he may have an opener in front of him this time around, Sheehan is expected to handle the bulk of the innings in the series opener against Cincinnati. Sheehan has posted rather pedestrian numbers in the big leagues this season (5.29 ERA, 1.29 WHIP), but he has allowed just one earned run with a 16:4 K:BB over his last two starts and 11.2 innings with Oklahoma City.
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TJ Rumfield 1B | COL
Rockies' TJ Rumfield: Collects three hits in loss
Rumfield went 3-for-4 with a double, one RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's 10-8 loss to the Cardinals.
Rumfield has continued to take care of business lately, going 17-for-38 (.447) with six extra-base hits and seven RBI during his 11-game hitting streak. The first baseman also has a studly 12:4 BB:K in that span. For the season, the rookie has reaped the rewards of hitting in Colorado, batting .299 with an .849 OPS over 139 contests, with those numbers bumping up to .307 and .890, respectively, when at home. He's added 15 home runs, 67 RBI, 61 runs scored, 28 doubles and three triples overall.
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Shohei Ohtani DH | LAD
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani: Could return Monday
Manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Ohtani's (knee/biceps) workout went well Saturday, and as long as things continue in this direction, "I see him in there [Monday]," Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Roberts had been keeping the door open for a possible IL stint for Ohtani, but that now sounds unlikely in light of Ohtani's progress. Ohtani hit in the batting cage Saturday and did not report any soreness. He will miss a fourth consecutive start Sunday night against the Nationals. While he appears on the verge of his return as a hitter, Ohtani is considered unlikely to pitch again this season.
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Mickey Moniak LF | COL
Rockies' Mickey Moniak: Homers, drives in four
Moniak went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and an additional RBI in Sunday's 10-8 loss to the Cardinals.
Moniak hit an RBI single in the first inning and then added his homer in the third, both off Kyle Leahy. Prior to Sunday, Moniak had gone 0-for-7 over his last three games, and he had gone 12 contests without a homer. For the season, the veteran outfielder is batting .251 with a .791 OPS, 22 homers, 64 RBI, 47 runs scored, 16 doubles, four triples and one stolen base over 103 games.
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Jake McCarthy LF | COL
Rockies' Jake McCarthy: Productive in Sunday's loss
McCarthy went 3-for-5 with a solo home run, three total RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's 10-8 loss to the Cardinals.
McCarthy is batting .324 (12-for-37) over his last nine games, adding five extra-base hits and four steals in that span. The outfielder is also up to 75 RBI on the year, a strong number for a player who has primarily worked out of the leadoff spot. He's at a .293 average, .821 OPS, 15 home runs, 29 doubles, eight triples, 29 stolen bases and 71 runs scored over 128 contests.
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Tanner Gordon SP | COL
Rockies' Tanner Gordon: Roughed up by Cardinals
Gordon allowed five runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out four over 4.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Cardinals on Sunday.
Gordon was able to avoid giving up a home run, but a decent start fell apart in the fifth frame. Since the beginning of August, he's given up 20 runs (18 earned) over 35.1 innings across seven games, providing uneven performances, though the Coors Field effect has had a large role in that. Overall, he has a 5.40 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 76:17 K:BB through 93.1 innings over 21 games (nine starts). Gordon is projected to make his next appearance in Detroit.
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Ivan Herrera DH | STL
Cardinals' Ivan Herrera: Bat stays hot in win
Herrera went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's 10-8 win over the Rockies.
The multi-hit onslaught continues for Herrera, who has at least two knocks in five of his last six games. He's also driven in 11 runs in that span. The catcher is batting .251 with a .750 OPS, 16 home runs, 64 RBI, 89 runs scored, 25 doubles, one triple and eight stolen bases over 143 contests. Herrera has thrived in the No. 2 spot in the order for much of the year, providing him with plenty of chances to cross the plate ahead of the duo of Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker most games.
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Randy Vasquez SP | SD
Padres' Randy Vasquez: Heading back to bullpen
Vasquez will be available out of the San Diego bullpen beginning Monday against the Nationals, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Vasquez has pitched especially well in his last three starts, going 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA and 0.66 WHIP over 16.2 innings, but with Nick Pivetta (forearm) ready to return to the Padres' rotation, Vasquez will transition to a relief role. Pivetta stretched out to only 64 pitches in his final rehab outing, so it may be a sort of piggyback situation with Vasquez in that rotation spot, at least initially.