MLB Player News

Carpenter went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in a win over the Pirates on Sunday.

Carpenter temporarily had the National League homer lead all to himself after blasting his 29th round tripper in the fifth inning. Although the Rockies' Nolan Arenado eventually drew even with him later in the day, Carpenter's offensive exploits over the last two months-plus are nothing short of astounding at this point. The veteran infielder has hit 26 of his homers over the last 67 games, a stretch during which he sports an MLB-best .722 slugging percentage, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports. Carpenter has now left the yard in three straight games and reached safely in 24 consecutive games overall, pushing his season line to a steadily ascending .282/.394/.593.

Reyes started in right field and went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's win over the Cubs.

The rookie got a rare start with Travis Jankowski sitting against a southpaw. Hunter Renfroe has benefited most from Wil Myers' (foot) placement on the disabled list, so Reyes figures to serve a fourth-outfielder role for the time being. The 22-year-old has flashed plus power in a limited role (seven homers over 114 plate appearances), so he could gain fantasy value down the stretch if a spot in the outfield opens up.

Harper went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Sunday's win over the Reds.

Harper delivered an RBI double in the third inning to extend Washington's lead to two. He managed to make a significant impact after it was unclear whether he'd take the field in the series finale. Harper was struck by a pitch on the knee Saturday, but he recorded his 68th RBI of the season the following day, and he should be good to go moving forward, especially with a scheduled off-day Monday.

Turner is out of the lineup Sunday against the Astros.

The Dodgers are just giving Turner a pre-planned rest after the third baseman played three consecutive games upon returning from the 10-day disabled list Thursday. Turner is slated to return to the lineup for the Dodgers' next game Tuesday in Oakland, serving in his usual role in the field or as the club's designated hitter.

Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a double, a solo home run, two walks and two runs in a win over the Pirates on Saturday.

At this point, it seems as if opposing teams should just automatically spot Carpenter first base in at least half of his at-bats. The veteran infielder now sports a .982 OPS, while his 61 extra-base hits have him on pace to easily eclipse the career-high 75 he compiled in 2015 over 208 additional plate appearances. Factoring in Saturday's production, Carpenter has reached safely in 23 straight games.

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.