MLB Player News
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Robert Suarez RP | SD
Padres' Robert Suarez: Collects save Friday
Suarez struck out one in a perfect inning to earn the save in Friday's 4-2 win over the Phillies.
Suarez has pitched three of the last four days and is now on a five-inning scoreless streak that began July 4 versus the Rangers. The closer's heavy workload lately may lead to him not making an appearance Saturday even if a save situation arises, though the rest of the Padres' top high-leverage arms have also pitched on the same days as Suarez this week. Suarez is up to 28 saves in 31 chances while maintaining a 3.54 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 43:12 K:BB through 40.2 innings this season.
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Shawn Dubin RP | HOU
Astros' Shawn Dubin: Throwing from flat ground
Dubin (forearm) has resumed throwing from flat ground in Florida, MLB.com reports.
Dubin landed on the injured list June 24 with a forearm strain but has made the first step toward a return. He'll still need to progress to throwing bullpen sessions and potentially go on a rehab assignment, setting him up for a possible return in late July or early August.
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Ryan Bergert SP | SD
Padres' Ryan Bergert: Strikes out seven in return
Bergert allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out seven over 4.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Phillies on Friday.
Bergert missed minimal time due to a forearm bruise and didn't look to rusty in his return. He was a little unfortunate, as two of the three hits he allowed in this contest were solo home runs, but his seven strikeouts came up one shy of matching his season high. Bergert hasn't been let loose fully as a starter -- he finished this outing at 82 pitches (52 strikes) and has failed to reach the five-inning mark in his last three starts. Overall, he's posted a 2.84 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 30:14 K:BB through 31.2 innings across 10 appearances (six starts). Bergert will get a little more time to recuperate during the All-Star break before resuming his competition with Randy Vasquez to stay in the rotation once Michael King (shoulder) returns from the 60-day injured list, which is likely to happen in August.
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Manuel Rodriguez RP | TB
Rays' Manuel Rodriguez: Suffers apparent setback
Rodriguez (forearm) exited his rehab appearance with Triple-A Durham on Friday after facing only three batters, MLB.com reports.
There hasn't been any official word on why Rodriguez departed, but it wasn't pre-planned and his velocity fell to just 91.6 mph. He will now almost certainly not be activated prior to the All-Star break, but a further timeline is not yet clear.
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Bobby Witt SS | KC
Royals' Bobby Witt: Hit streak reaches 14
Witt went 2-for-5 with a double and a two-run home run during Friday's 8-3 loss to the Mets.
Witt is up to 14 straight games with a hit after notching a multi-hit performance on Friday, the sixth time he's had multiple hits during his streak. The hot stretch has covered the entirety of July, so it makes sense that this has been Witt's best month from a hitting standpoint. The All-Star shortstop is slashing .400/.436/.629 this month with two doubles, two homers and seven RBI.
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Julio Rodriguez CF | SEA
Mariners' Julio Rodriguez: Returns to form with two-run homer
Rodriguez went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and scored twice in Friday's 12-3 win over the Tigers.
Rodriguez snapped out of a cold streak in emphatic fashion, launching a 440-foot two-run shot off Tarik Skubal in the fifth inning, his first homer since June 23. The 24-year-old had gone just 5-for-41 (.122) with two RBI over his previous 10 games entering Friday, but may be showing signs of regaining his power stroke. Even during his slump, Rodriguez has remained locked into the heart of Seattle's lineup, and a blast like this could spark a much-needed turnaround.
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Jake Mangum LF | TB
Rays' Jake Mangum: Swipes 13th base
Mangum went 2-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and a stolen base Friday against the Red Sox.
Mangum remains the Rays' regular left fielder, though he notably hit third in the lineup for the first time since June 20 and only the fourth total time this season. He extended his hitting streak to four games and also tallied his second stolen base in that span. Mangum should remain a solid source of batting average and stolen bases in the second half of the campaign.
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Michael Wacha SP | KC
Royals' Michael Wacha: Strikes out five in five
Wacha earned a no-decision after throwing five innings, alllowing one run on two hits and three walks while striking out five, during Friday's 8-3 loss to the Mets.
After allowing 21 hits combined over his last three starts spanning 15 innings, Wacha surrendered just two hits and no runs in his five innings against the Mets. It's the seventh time the 34-year-old has surrendered one run or fewer in his 19 starts, and he'll enter the All-Star break on a high note. He ends the first half with a 3.74 ERA,1.27 WHIP and a 84:33 K:BB in 106.0 innings
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Cal Raleigh C | SEA
Mariners' Cal Raleigh: Continues to amaze in two-homer day
Raleigh went 2-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI in Friday's 12-3 win over the Tigers.
Raleigh put on another show, launching a solo shot in the eighth before blasting a grand slam an inning later, pushing his league-leading home run total to 38, just one shy of tying the MLB record for homers before the All-Star break. While the 28-year-old is now batting just 6-for-36 (.167) over his last 10 games, all six hits have left the yard, a testament to his elite power even amid contact struggles.
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Juan Soto RF | NYM
Mets' Juan Soto: Hits 22nd homer
Soto went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and two walks during Friday's 8-3 win over the Royals.
Soto is up to 22 home runs on the season and is looking much more like himself at the plate in his first season with the Mets. The 26-year-old outfielder had a monster June, notching a 1.196 OPS, and has largely continued that into July. In the first 10 games of the month, he is slashing .323/.447/.452 with six RBI.