MLB Player News

Harper (knee) is starting in center field and batting fourth against the Reds on Sunday, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports.

Harper exited Saturday's game after being hit by a pitch on the knee cap and was unsure of his availability for the series finale. The 25-year-old is apparently feeling fine after the scary moment Saturday, and he has four hits -- including a double and a home run -- and three walks through 13 plate appearances in the series thus far.

McCutchen went 5-for-5 with a home run, double and two RBI in the Giants' 9-3 loss to the Diamondbacks on Saturday.

McCutchen provided a jolt for San Francisco out of the leadoff spot, but with his hit total nearly matching the output (six) from the rest of his teammates combined, the Giants weren't able to take advantage of his constant presence on the bases. The 31-year-old is now slashing .278/.375/.500 with three home runs, six RBI and five runs in 14 games since the All-Star break.

Ozuna has been dealing with tendinitis and inflammation in his right shoulder since last season, which has led to more clubs taking chances against him on the basepaths, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.

The outfielder has been receiving treatment on his shoulder daily, and he's tried to be selective about when he uncorks throws at maximum effort so as to try and nurse the joint throughout the duration of the season. While he's managed to avoid missing time, a number of metrics indicate that his arm strength has been on a steady decline since 2015. The 77.9 mph average velocity he sports on his throws this season rank him last among 58 qualifying outfielders (minimum 75 throws), and his overall peak velocity is down as well. Despite the issues, the Cardinals currently have no plans to shut him down for any prolonged period, even as the deterioration he's experiencing may also be at least partly responsible for the overall decline in his power numbers. Ozuna recently also dealt with a toe issue that caused an early exit from Thursday's game versus the Rockies, but he's gone 1-for-9 with a double, a walk and a run while starting Friday and Saturday versus the Pirates.

Harper was hit on his kneecap Saturday and said he's unsure if he'll be in the lineup Sunday, Jamal Collier of MLB.com reports.

Harper was hit by a pitch on the knee in the sixth inning and stayed in the game to run the bases before he was replaced by Adam Eaton in the top of the seventh. The Nationals and Reds play early Sunday afternoon at 1:35 PM.

Pederson is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Astros, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Pederson is among the three regular lefties who will sit out the contest, with opposing starter Lance McCullers owning better splits against southpaws than righties. He should return to the starting nine for the series finale Sunday.

Carpenter welcomed Chris Archer to the National League by homering on the third pitch of Friday's game against the Pirates. He went 2-for-4 with a double, the home run, and two walks in the loss.

Carpenter's bat appears incapable of cooling off at this point, as he's started August off on the same heater he's been on for the last two months. The veteran infielder is 4-for-10 with a double, Friday's homer and corresponding RBI, five walks and three runs over the first three games of the new month. That follows a July in which he parlayed 31 hits into 21 RBI, largely on the strength of 11 round trippers. Carpenter's 27 homers on the season comfortably pace the field on the Cardinals and rank eighth in the majors.

Reyes was called up from Triple-A El Paso on Saturday.

Reyes will take the place of Wil Myers on the active roster after the latter was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a left foot contusion. Across 38 games with the Padres this year, Reyes is hitting .221/.270/.423 with six home runs and eight RBI. He will serve as a fourth outfielder behind Travis Jankowski, Manuel Margot and Hunter Renfroe while Myers is sidelined.

Pederson started in left field and went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 2-1 loss to Houston.

Pederson led off the contest with a home run for the second consecutive game, but that would account for all of the offense the Dodgers could muster against Justin Verlander. The 26-year-old has really come into his own this season, slashing .261/.334/.539 with 17 homers and 44 RBI over 103 games. Pederson figures to see a healthy amount of starts versus righties, but he may cede a start or two per week to the bevy of other outfield options the club has at its disposal.

Ozuna (toe) is batting fourth and starting in left field against the Pirates on Friday, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.

Ozuna exited Thursday's contest after experiencing discomfort in one of his left toes, although it never appeared to be a serious injury. The 27-year-old is slashing .324/.342/.595 with three home runs over his last nine games as the Cardinals begin a three-game series at Pittsburgh.

Turner went 1-for-2 with a walk, a two-run home run and three runs scored Thursday against the Brewers.

Turner returned from the disabled list Thursday and wasted no time making his presence known, blasting his sixth home run of the season in the sixth inning. He has managed to accumulate only 168 at-bats this season, and taking into account his lengthy struggle with injury, the Dodgers' may limit his playing time given the depth of their infield. When he has managed to take the field, Turner has posted a .262/.362/.417 slash line.