MLB Player News

Blackmon will start in right field and bat third Monday against the Nationals.

Blackmon will head into the final week of the regular season with an eight-game hitting streak on the line. Though he's delivered a .400 average over that stretch, his production has mostly been devoid of counting stats (zero home runs, zero stolen bases, four runs and three RBI). Barring a massive surge over Colorado's final six games, Blackmon will finish 2021 with his lowest home run total (he's currently at 13) in a 162-game season since 2013 and his lowest batting average (currently .273) since his 27-game rookie campaign in 2011.

Belt (hand) will get X-rays in San Francisco and it's unclear if he will be ready for the series against Arizona that begins Tuesday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

He was hit on the hand by a 93-mile-per-hour fastball while attempting a bunt in Sunday's game against the Rockies and was removed from the contest, going 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored before departing. Belt underwent a scan after the game that was inconclusive, so the X-rays he will get Monday should shed light on the severity of the injury.

Belt left Sunday's game against the Rockies after getting hit in the left thumb by a pitch, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports.

Belt initially remained in the game to run the bases but was replaced by Wilmer Flores when the Giants took the field. The severity of the injury is not yet clear, but Belt will get at least one day to rest, as the Giants have a scheduled off day Monday.

Belt went 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI in Saturday's 7-2 win over Colorado.

The first baseman opened the scoring with a first-inning solo shot before giving San Francisco the lead again with a three-run blast in the fifth. In the process, Belt helped the 2021 Giants tie and then set the franchise record for homers in a season -- the team now has 236 and counting with a week left in the campaign. Individually, it's been a career year in the power department for Belt, who has 29 long balls and a .593 slugging percentage with 59 RBI, 64 runs scored and three stolen bases in just 96 contests.

Harper went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Saturday's 3-0 win over the Pirates.

He pulverized a Wil Crowe offering in the third inning, putting it into the trees beyond the center-field fence for his 34th homer of the season. Harper's push for an MVP award continues -- over his last 33 games, he's slashing a mammoth .381/.507/.796 with 11 home runs and 30 RBI to help the Phillies stay in the playoff picture.

Winker (intercostal strain) went through a series of agility drills and played catch with a trainer before Friday night's game against the Nats, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "We're starting back to where we were a couple weeks ago," Winker said. "This was the next step."

It's probably too late for Winker to return this season, and if/when the Reds get eliminated by the Cardinals, there's little point in rushing him back.

Belt went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in a 7-2 victory versus the Rockies on Friday.

Belt's sixth-inning, 424-foot shot to right field broke a 2-2 tie to give the Giants a lead they did not relinquish. It was the veteran's 27th homer of the campaign, well above his previous career-high mark of 18. Belt has been hot at the plate of late, batting .373 (22-for-59) with six homers, 13 RBI and 17 runs over his past 15 games.

Miller went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's 8-6 win over Pittsburgh.

The 31-year-old achieved his second 20-homer season with his fourth-inning blast Friday. His career high is 30 long balls in 152 games with Tampa Bay in 2016, so he'll have to settle for a lower number this season. Miller is slashing .231/.320/.471 with 47 RBI, 52 runs scored and three stolen bases across 353 plate appearances. He'll likely continue as a strong-side platoon option at first base to close out the year.

Dickerson (hamstring) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Thursday.

Dickerson spent nearly two weeks at Triple-A Sacramento on a rehab assignment, and he went 6-for-11 with a home run, three doubles, four runs and two RBI across the last three games. The 31-year-old isn't guaranteed an everyday role now that he's healthy since LaMonte Wade and Austin Slater are available, but he'll rejoin the active roster after Darin Ruf (oblique) landed on the 10-day IL on Thursday. Dickerson isn't starting Thursday's game against the Padres but should be available off the bench.

Ruf was placed on the injured list with a right oblique strain Thursday, retroactive to Sept. 20.

Ruf hadn't appeared in either of the last two games, and his absence was apparently due to an oblique issue. The severity of the injury isn't yet clear, and whether he's able to return prior to the end of the regular season remains to be seen. Wilmer Flores could see a slight uptick in playing time as the primary backup at first base, while Alex Dickerson (hamstring) was reinstated from the 10-day IL in a corresponding move.