MLB Player News

Ruf went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in Friday's 7-2 win over the Dodgers.

Ruf's contributions Friday were enough to lift the Giants to the win. He took starter Walker Buehler deep in the fourth inning and tacked on another homer in the eighth off David Price. Ruf is now 4-for-15 in four games since returning from the bereavement list. The 35-year-old is up to a .226/.344/.354 slash line with five homers, 20 RBI, 29 runs scored and a pair of stolen bases in 50 contests. He's made three straight starts at first base, so Ruf should be in line for a regular role until Brandon Belt (knee) returns from the injured list.

McCutchen went 3-for-4 with two runs, an RBI, two stolen bases and a strikeout in Friday's 11-5 loss to the Nationals.

The Brewers struggled once again Friday during their seventh consecutive loss, but McCutchen was a bright spot in the team's offense. He didn't have any extra-base hits but showcased his speed with two steals. The 35-year-old has been effective during Milwaukee's losing streak, hitting .346 with a double, four RBI, two runs and two steals over the last seven games.

Ozuna is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates.

The veteran slugger started the past three games and will receive a day off after going 1-for-10 with a walk and two runs during that stretch. William Contreras will bat seventh as the designated hitter in Ozuna's place.

Ford was claimed off waivers by Atlanta on Friday.

Ford was designated for assignment by the Mariners on Saturday, but he will now join a new organization and report to Triple-A Gwinnett. The 29-year-old has produced a .182 average with a double, five RBI and a run scored over 33 at-bats in 17 games with the Mariners and Giants this season. Atlanta DFA'd Joe Dunand on Friday to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Ford.

Blackmon went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a run scored Thursday against the Giants.

Blackmon continues to hit well, as he's now tallied six multi-hit performances across his last 13 starts. He's hit .364 in that span while also slugging three homers, driving in 12 and scoring six runs. That's raised his overall line to .260/.320/.451 across 226 plate appearances on the campaign.

Soler isn't starting Thursday against the Nationals, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Soler went 4-for-7 with a homer, a double, two RBI, a walk and a strikeout over the last two games and will be out of the lineup Thursday for the first time since May 22. Bryan De La Cruz will take over in left field and bat ninth.

Pederson isn't starting Thursday's game against the Rockies, Amy Gutierrez of the Giants' official site reports.

Left-hander Austin Gomber is starting for the Rockies on Thursday, so Pederson will retreat to the bench after he went 1-for-8 with a run and four strikeouts over the last two games. Luis Gonzalez, Austin Slater and Mike Yastrzemski will start in the outfield from left to right.

Blackmon went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI on Wednesday against the Giants.

Blackmon recorded an extra-base hit for the third consecutive game, though his RBI came on a single in the third frame. Across his last 12 games, Blackmon is hitting .340 with three homers, 12 RBI and five runs scored. While plenty of that production has come at Coors Field, the Rockies have been on the road for five contests in that span. Overall, Blackmon is hitting .251/.313/.437 across 221 plate appearances on the season.

Harper went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 10-0 victory over the Brewers.

Harper went deep for a three-run shot off Luke Barker with two outs in the ninth inning, driving in Bryson Stott and Kyle Schwarber. The homer was his 14th of the year and his fourth in the last five games. Since the beginning of May, Harper has batted .345 with 11 home runs, 30 RBI, 23 runs and three stolen bases over 113 at-bats in 29 games.

Morel went 2-for-5 with a home run, a triple and two RBI in Tuesday's 9-3 loss to the Orioles.

The Cubs are now 10 games under .500 after suffering their third consecutive loss Tuesday, but Morel continues to be a revelation in as the club veers toward a second straight non-contending season. Morel has turned in multi-hit efforts in three of his last four starts to bring his season average up to .298.