Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Sitting after four-hit game
Rotowire
Dubon is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Athletics.
After rapping out a season-high four hits in Sunday's 9-3 win over the Tigers, Dubon will retreat to the bench as the Astros open a four-game set with the Athletics. Dubon had started in four of the past five games, but he's still seemingly viewed as a utility player for Houston and hasn't yet seized hold of an everyday spot in the lineup.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: On bench for second straight game
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Dubon is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Dubon is on the bench for a second straight game and seems to have moved into a part-time role after he had drawn starts in the outfield in each of the first three games of May. The Astros have a regular opening in left field with Chas McCormick (hamstring) moving to the injured list, but rookie Joey Loperfido looks to have an edge on the gig, leaving Dubon to vie with Jake Meyers and Trey Cabbage for playing time at the other outfield spot while Kyle Tucker is locked in as the everyday right fielder.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Sits Saturday
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Dubon isn't in the Astros' lineup Saturday against the Mariners, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Dubon went 0-for-3 with a sac fly during Friday's series opener, and he'll now get a day off for Saturday's contest. His absence will move Joey Loperfido into center field while Jon Singleton starts at first base.
Dubon went 3-for-4 with an RBI on Friday against the Nationals.
Dubon started in center field and hit ninth, which marked his ninth start in the last 11 games. In that span, he's gone 13-for-36 with a home run, nine RBI and a stolen base. Dubon has primarily cut into Jake Meyers' playing time, and that could continue so long as he remains hot at the plate.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Pops first homer of 2024
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Dubon went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 5-4 extra-inning loss to Atlanta.
Getting the start in center field and batting seventh, Dubon took Jesse Chavez deep in the sixth inning to give the Astros a 4-2 lead that the bullpen couldn't protect. The 29-year-old utility player has hit safely in four straight games and six of the last seven as he pushes Jake Meyers for playing time in center. On the season Dubon is batting .279 (12-for-43) with one homer, one steal, four runs and 10 RBI.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Playing time ticking up
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Dubon went 2-for-4 with an RBI on Thursday against the Royals.
Dubon was in the lineup for the third time in the last four games, two of which have come in center field in the place of Jake Meyers. The former has picked up a total of 13 plate appearances in that span, collecting four hits and a double with two runs scored and an RBI. Meyers is likely to return to a more regular role, but Dubon is a capable replacement if he continues to be called upon.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Scores run in win
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Dubon went 1-for-4 with a run scored in Monday's 10-5 win over the Rangers.
The 29-year-old is capable of playing every defensive position except catcher, and it is that ability that has gotten him into games this season for the Astros. Dubon has started only two games through Houston's first nine contests, but he has entered multiple times as a defensive replacement all over the field. If any Astro were to go down with an injury and miss significant time, Dubon is more than likely to be the man to replace him.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Key bench option
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Dubon is a lock to make the Astros' Opening Day roster thanks to his defensive versatility, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Dubon logged a career-high 492 plate appearances in 2023 and posted a passable .720 OPS with 10 homers and seven stolen bases. He'll enter the 2024 season as a bench bat, but he would likely step into a more significant role should any of the Astros' regular starters be forced to miss time thanks to his ability to play any defensive position except catcher.
Dubon will make $3.5 million in 2024 after winning his arbitration hearing with the Astros on Monday, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Houston had offered $3 million. Dubon earned the substantial salary bump after slashing .278/.309/.411 with 10 home runs and seven stolen bases over 132 games for the Astros in 2023. He played seven different positions last year and is in line for a super-utility role again in 2024.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Batting second in Game 4
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Dubon is batting second Thursday in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Rangers.
This is the highest lineup spot yet for Dubon, who hit seventh Wednesday in Game 3 and went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored as the Astros earned an 8-5 victory. He'll cover center field again Thursday, with Chas McCormick handling left field and Kyle Tucker patrolling right field. Michael Brantley is on the bench.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Playing center field in Game 3
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Dubon is starting in center field and batting seventh Wednesday in Game 3 of the ALCS at Texas.
Chas McCormick will ride the pine as the Astros look to win their first game of the best-of-seven American League Championship Series. This is the third start of the 2023 postseason for Dubon, who has gone 3-for-8 with three singles at the dish.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: In lineup for Game 1
Rotowire
Dubon is starting in center field and batting seventh in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Rangers on Sunday.
The 29-year-old made one start in the ALDS versus the Twins and went 2-for-5 with a pair of singles. Dubon will also start the series opener against Texas with lefty Jordan Montgomery taking the mound. Michael Brantley will come off the bench as a result.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Back to bench in Game 4
Rotowire
Dubon is out of the lineup Wednesday for Game 4 of the ALDS versus the Twins.
Dubon started in center field Tuesday in Game 3 and went 2-for-5 with two singles, but the Astros will turn back to Chas McCormick to cover the position Wednesday as they take on right-hander Joe Ryan. McCormick has gone 2-for-7 with a homer in his career meetings against Ryan. Dubon, meanwhile, has never once faced Ryan.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Starts in center field in Game 3
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Dubon will start in center field and bat seventh in Game 3 of the ALDS on Tuesday at Minnesota.
This is the first start of the series for Dubon, who has gone 2-for-7 with a double in his career against right-hander Sonny Gray, the ALDS Game 3 starter for the Twins. Chas McCormick, who will ride the pine Tuesday, is 0-for-3 with three strikeouts lifetime versus Gray.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Blasts 10th homer
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Dubon went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 8-3 win over the Mariners.
Dubon put the Astros ahead in the fourth inning when he took Bryce Miller deep, and that blast was enough for the win. Dubon had gone 15 games without a homer, but he hit .333 (14-for-42) in that span while filling a part-time role. He's at a solid .279/.309/.413 slash line with 10 long balls, 46 RBI, 76 runs scored and seven stolen bases through 129 contests this year.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Homers twice in win
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Dubon went 2-for-5 with two solo home runs in Monday's victory over the Rangers.
Dubon tied the game 4-4 in the sixth inning with his first home run off Glenn Otto before extending Houston's lead to 12-5 with an opposite-field blast off Martin Perez in the ninth. It's the first multi-homer game of the year for Dubon, who now has a career-high nine long balls this season. While he's retreated to a bench role of late, Dubon's still slashing a solid .274/.304/.404 with 67 runs scored, 39 RBI and seven stolen bases across 438 plate appearances this season.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: On bench again Wednesday
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Dubon is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.
Dubon has now been squeezed out of the starting nine twice in the past three days and could be relegated to more of a part-time role with Michael Brantley returning from the 60-day injured list Tuesday. After starting in left field Tuesday, Brantley will occupy the designated hitter spot Wednesday. With the Astros likely to lean heavily on the trio of Brantley, Yordan Alvarez and Yainer Diaz to handle DH duties in any given game while one of Alvarez or Brantley starts in left field, Chas McCormick could end up more frequently poaching work from Dubon in center field. Dubon has at least helped his case for not falling out of favor by producing a .919 OPS in August.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Day off Monday
Rotowire
Dubon is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Red Sox, Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet Southwest reports.
Dubon racked up 11 hits -- including two homers and two doubles -- over his last 22 at-bats, but as been the case more often than not lately, he will open on the bench Monday. Jake Meyers, Chas McCormick and Dubon are all sharing the starts in center field at the moment, and it will be McCormick who gets the nod Monday.
