MLB Player News

Drury (head) will sit Saturday against the Dodgers, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Drury left Friday's game after getting hit in the head with a pitch, and he'll sit for at least one game. Whether or not he'll need an extended absence is not yet clear. Josh Bell will start at first base, with Jurickson Profar serving as the designated hitter.

Vargas will bat eighth and play left field Saturday against San Diego, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Vargas, who hit .304/.404/.511 with 17 home runs and 16 steals in 113 Triple-A games this season, is an exciting prospect, but his short-term appeal is lessened by the fact that he plays for a team with a very deep roster and one that employs Justin Turner at third base. The Dodgers have all but clinched the NL West already, however, so they have the freedom to experiment down the stretch, which could include things like trying Vargas in the outfield on a semi-regular basis.

Lux (back) isn't starting Saturday against the Padres, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Lux was scratched from Friday's lineup due to a back issue, and he'll remain on the bench for a second consecutive game Saturday. Mookie Betts is shifting to the keystone while Trayce Thompson starts in right field.

Donovan will sit Saturday against the Cubs, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

The Cardinals elected to sit several lefties against southpaw Drew Smyly. Donovan has now been on the bench against 10 of the last 11 lefties the Cardinals have faced.

Gorman will sit against lefty Drew Smyly and the Cubs on Saturday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Gorman will be one of several left-handed hitters who will get the day off against the veteran southpaw. Just 22 of his 284 plate appearances thus far in his rookie season have come against lefties. Tommy Edman will slide over to second base Saturday, with Paul DeJong starting at shortstop.

Rodgers went 0-for-4 with a strikeout Friday against the Reds.

Rodgers returned after a one-game absence caused by a dental issue. After the hitless performance, he has only three hits across 29 at-bats with two RBI and two runs scored through seven games of the team's current road trip. Though the majority of his production has come at home, Rodgers has maintained a .274/.325/.416 line across 514 plate appearances on the season.

McNeil went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in Friday's 7-3 win over the Nationals.

The 30-year-old continues to punish the baseball. McNeil has racked up three or more hits five times in his last 18 games, and he's slashing .380/.397/.493 over that stretch with eight doubles, three RBI and eight runs scored. The lack of counting-stat production isn't ideal, but McNeil's .319 batting average would be a career high for a full season if he can maintain it over the final weeks.

Drury was removed from Friday's win over the Dodgers due to a head contusion, Annie Heilbrunn of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Drury was hit in the head by a pitch in the top of the sixth inning Friday and initially remained in the game, but he was replaced defensively in the bottom half of the frame. Manager Bob Melvin said after the game that Drury was removed as a proactive measure, but the 30-year-old will undergo testing and be monitored ahead of Saturday's matchup.

Lux was scratched from Friday's lineup against the Padres due to a back injury, Rowan Kavner of Fox Sports reports.

Lux dealt with a neck injury in late August, but his back is bothering him Friday, which resulted in his removal from the lineup. Hanser Alberto is taking his place at shortstop, and Lux should tentatively be considered day-to-day.

Lux was scratched from Friday's lineup against the Padres for an undisclosed reason, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Lux was removed from the lineup several hours before the start of Friday's game, and it's not yet clear whether the scratch was due to an injury. Hanser Alberto will take over at shortstop and bat ninth. Whether Lux is available off the bench remains to be seen.