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The New York Mets are calling up top prospect Francisco Alvarez for this weekend’s pivotal three-game series against the Atlanta Braves, according to multiple reports Thursday.

Alvarez, a 20-year-old catcher, was ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect in ESPN’s midseason list published in August.

Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2018, Alvarez has had a meteoric rise through the Mets’ minor league system over the past two years. He slashed .260/.374/.511 with 27 home runs this season while splitting time between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse.

While he missed three weeks in August with a right ankle injury, he finished the minor league season by hitting .371 with a 1.107 OPS and three home runs in his final 35 at bats for Syracuse.

A right-handed hitter, Alvarez could help the Mets at DH, especially against left-handers, against whom he hit .315 with a 1.019 OPS this season.

New York has received little production from right-handed hitters Darin Ruf and rookie Mark Vientos at DH since sending J.D. Davis to San Francisco at the Aug. 2 trade deadline. Left-handed hitter Daniel Vogelbach is New York’s regular DH against right-handers.

The Mets enter Friday night’s series opener in Atlanta clinging to a one-game lead over the Braves in the NL East. The division winner earns a first-round bye, while the second-place finisher will be the top NL wild card and host a best-of-three postseason series starting Oct. 7.

El Extrabase was first to report that Alvarez is getting called up.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Down 2-1, Kings give nod to G Rittich for Game 4

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Down 2-1, Kings give nod to G Rittich for Game 4

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — David Rittich will be the starting goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings in Game 4 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night.

Rittich replaces Cam Talbot, who had a 5.31 goals-against average and .891 save percentage in the first three games. Talbot allowed 13 goals in the Kings’ two losses, including Friday night’s 6-1 loss that put the Oilers up 2-1 in the series.

Kings interim coach Jim Hiller told reporters during Sunday’s morning skate that he informed the goalies of his decision Saturday.

“David is going to go, we feel good about that. I thought Cam did a good job, that’s not it,” Hiller said. “David has played really well for us, played well against Edmonton, so we’ll give him a go.”

Rittich played in 24 games during the regular season, starting 22. He had a 13-6-3 record with a 2.15 goals-against average and .921 save percentage.

He also had three shutouts, including Feb. 10 against the Oilers, when he stopped 26 shots in the Kings 4-0 victory.

Rittich’s last start came on April 13 against Anaheim, when he made 28 saves in a 3-1 win.

“He’s played very well. The important part is he’s played well after he has sit for a while,” Hiller said.

This will be Rittich’s second career postseason start. He got the call in Game 1 of the Nashville Predators‘ first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, but was pulled after allowing five goals on 13 shots in the first 15 minutes of a 7-2 loss.

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Marlins OF Garcia put on IL with hamstring injury

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Marlins OF Garcia put on IL with hamstring injury

The Miami Marlins placed right fielder Avisail Garcia on the 10-day injured list Sunday with a left hamstring strain.

The team also brought up outfielder Dane Myers and right-hander Emmanuel Ramirez from Triple-A Jacksonville and designated left-hander Kent Emanuel for assignment.

Garcia, 32, is batting .240 with two home runs and two RBIs in 18 games this season.

He is a career .263 hitter with 140 homers and 524 RBIs in 1,104 games over 13 seasons with the Detroit Tigers (2012-2013), Chicago White Sox (2013-2018), Tampa Bay Rays (2019), Milwaukee Brewers (2020-2021) and Marlins. He was an All-Star with the White Sox in 2017.

Myers, 28, made his major league debut in July and batted .269 with a homer and nine RBIs in 22 games for the Marlins. He is hitting .237 with one homer and seven RBIs in 25 games at Jacksonville this season.

Ramirez, 29, has spent more than a decade in the minors and has yet to make his MLB debut. He has no decisions, three saves and a 3.86 ERA in seven relief appearances with Jacksonville this season.

Emanuel, 31, allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in three innings of relief in Saturday’s 11-4 loss against the Washington Nationals. He has no decisions and a 10.50 ERA in two games out of the Miami bullpen this season.

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Inside job: Langford rushes home for 1st MLB HR

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Inside job: Langford rushes home for 1st MLB HR

ARLINGTON, Texas — Wyatt Langford‘s first big league homer was a memorable sprint around the bases for the promising rookie.

Langford hit an inside-the-park home run for Texas on Sunday, helping the Rangers put together a fast start against the Cincinnati Reds.

Batting with Jonah Heim on first with two out in the first inning, Langford drove a 3-2 fastball from left-hander Andrew Abbott toward the gap in right-center.

The ball hit about halfway up the wall at the 374-foot mark, which briefly angles out at 45 degrees. Then it bounced past right fielder Jake Fraley toward the right-field corner.

The 22-year-old Langford took off after seeing the ball get past Fraley. Third-base coach Tony Beasley vigorously waved Langford home as he sped toward third. He scored without a throw, giving the Rangers a 4-0 lead.

Langford was selected by Texas with the No. 4 pick in last year’s draft out of the University of Florida. He broke camp with the Rangers after hitting .365 with six homers in 21 games during spring training.

Going into the series finale against Cincinnati, he was hitting .245 with three doubles and a triple in 26 games this season.

Langford became the fourth player for the Rangers to hit an insider-the-parker for his first big league homer. The previous one was hit by teammate Josh Smith in July 2022 against Oakland.

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