MLB Player News

Belt went a combined 2-for-6 with two walks, an RBI and a pair of runs scored in Monday's doubleheader against the Rockies.

Belt led off in both contests -- as he has done for most of July -- and got on base four times as the Giants took both contests. The 31-year-old is slashing .241/.367/.422 and has already surpassed last season's total of 50 runs with 53 through 91 games this year.

Winker (side) went 1-for-1 with a single and a run scored in the Reds' 6-3 victory over the Cubs on Monday.

Winker came into the game in the seventh inning as a pinch hitter for starting pitcher Luis Castillo. He singled and later scored the go-head run for the Reds. Winker has been dealing with some side tightness since Sunday's game against Colorado, but he passed all pre-game tests prior to Monday's contest, so it would appear as though Winker will be back in the starting lineup sooner rather than later.

Carpenter left Monday's game against the Pirates in the seventh inning after fouling a ball off his foot, Rob Rains of StLSportsPage.com reports.

Carpenter was unable to complete the at-bat, so Tommy Edman was forced to enter the game and inherit the veteran third baseman's count. The extent of the injury is not yet known.

Dickerson isn't starting Game 2 of Monday's doubleheader against the Rockies, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports.

Dickerson picked up three hits and an RBI in Game 1, but he'll head to the bench for the nightcap. Mike Yastrzemski gets the call in left field and will bat sixth in Dickerson's absence.

Winker (side) is available off the bench Monday, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Winker left Sunday's game in the middle of an at-bat due to side tightness. His absence doesn't appear to be a long one, however, as he passed pre-game tests Monday. Derek Dietrich starts in left field in his absence.

Winker (side) is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cubs.

Winker's absence was fully expected after he was forced to exit Sunday's loss to the Rockies with an injury to the lower left side of his body. The Reds are planning to send him in for a more thorough examination Monday, which should provide more specificity regarding the injury along with a potential recovery timeline. For now, the team is viewing Winker's injury as a day-to-day concern.

Dickerson (back) is back in the lineup for the first game of Monday's doubleheader against the Rockies.

Dickerson left Friday's game with back tightness and did not appear in either game over the weekend. He'll play left field and bat cleanup in Monday afternoon's game, though there's a good chance the Giants sit him for the nightcap to avoid overtaxing his back.

Ozuna (fingers) is still dealing with swelling in his right hand after originally experiencing multiple finger fractures June 28, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

The news had been better for Ozuna earlier in the week, as he appeared to be making steady progress in his recovery. However, the veteran outfielder has apparently hit a bit of a sticking point with his swelling, which is preventing him from testing his grip strength. Given that Ozuna will need to show he's capable of handling a bat without any encumbrance whatsoever before activation, his return timeline seems firmly up in the air at the moment. In fact, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Ozuna himself estimates he's at least "two to three weeks away."

Winker confirmed that his injury was to his lower left side or back, and that he'll be evaluated further Monday to determine whether he needs to go on the IL, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "My lower left back, side area tightened up," Winker said. "I was feeling some tightness in my right rib cage as well."

Winker hasn't had an injury of this nature before. Given that the Reds have no off days scheduled until July 24, they might be compelled to make a roster move if Winker needs to sit out more than a day or two.

Belt went 2-for-4 with a solo homer, two runs scored and a walk in Sunday's 8-3 win over Milwaukee.

Belt launched his first homer since June 27 but has already collected four multi-hit games in July. It was his 11th long ball of the season and he has a shot at reaching the 20-homer mark for the first time in his MLB career.