MLB Player News

Belt (knee) is not in the lineup Saturday against the Rockies, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Belt was pulled from Friday's game with knee soreness. He didn't believe the issue was a significant one, but it's bad enough for him to miss at least one game. He's expected to undergo offseason surgery due to the recurring problem, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him sit frequently down the stretch.

Carpenter is not in the lineup against the Dodgers on Saturday.

Carpenter will take a seat for the first time since Aug. 29, when he was battling a minor illness. Though Carpenter did go 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Friday, it's a little surprising manager Mike Shildt would keep him out of the starting nine during such a pivotal showdown with Los Angeles as both teams fight for postseason contention. That said, there hasn't been any word on a potential injury and with another left-hander in Rich Hill on the mound Saturday, it's entirely possible Shildt is just giving the 32-year-old a well-earned day off. Patrick Wisdom will man first base and bat sixth in the order in Carpenter's absence.

Belt was removed in the seventh inning of Friday's contest due to an issue with his knee, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports.

Belt had just returned from a brief absence due to soreness in his right knee Wednesday, so it isn't surprising that his removal was related to the same injury. On the bright side, the first baseman said that he doesn't believe the setback is of the long-term variety and that he should be considered day-to-day. Manager Bruce Bochy said that it would be tough to start Belt Saturday, so Austin Slater would likely slide over to first base if that plan sticks. Belt is scheduled to undergo offseason surgery on his nagging knee so that he can hopefully begin the 2019 season with a clean bill of health.

Belt was removed from Friday's game against the Rockies with an apparent injury, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Belt just returned to the starting lineup Wednesday after missing time due to a knee issue, and it appears the same issue is bothering him again. He'll likely be considered day-to-day moving forward.

Carpenter went 2-for-5 with two runs in a loss to the Dodgers on Thursday.

Carpenter continues to get on base at an elite clip, with Thursday's two-hit effort pushing his on-base percentage for September to .375. The veteran is slated to move back to first base on an everyday basis with the return of Jedd Gyorko (groin) from the disabled list, and Carpenter sports a .270/.386/.553 line on the season that's partly comprised of a career best in home runs (35).

Ozuna went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI and a run scored Thursday against the Dodgers.

Ozuna hit his 15th double of the season, but his RBI came on a groundout and single. He's been on a productive stretch in the final month of the season, driving in 13 in his last nine games. A power surge since the All-Star break has salvaged Ozuna's season, as he's slugging .667 across the last 30 days.

Pederson is not in the starting nine against St. Louis on Thursday.

Pederson will receive a breather with a southpaw (Austin Gomber) on the mound for the Redbirds. During the past two games, Pederson has gone 4-for-7 with two solo home runs and three runs scored. In his absence, Chris Taylor will man left field and bat atop the order. Look for Pederson to return to the lineup Friday.

Blackmon is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against Arizona, Kyle Newman of The Denver Post reports.

Blackmon will receive a rare day off following 15 straight starts as Gerardo Parra gets a nod in the outfield for the series finale. During that 15-game stretch, Blackmon has hit .355 with a 1.011 OPS and nine extra-base hits. Look for him to return to the starting lineup Friday in San Francisco.

Turner went 2-for-5 with a double, three RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's win over the Reds.

Turner knocked a two-run single in the fifth inning and added an RBI-double in the sixth as the Dodgers busted the game open with eight runs across three innings. The veteran third baseman has been one of the hottest hitters in the league since the All-Star break, slashing a healthy .374/.466/.683 with eight homers and 27 RBI across 30 games.

Pederson went 2-for-3 with a double, a solo homer and an additional run scored in Wednesday's win over the Reds.

Pederson tied the game up at 1-1 with his solo shot to lead off the fourth inning. The outfielder has now homered in back-to-back multi-hit games, raising his September slash to .261/.346/.565 through 10 games.