MLB Player News

Belt went 3-for-4 with a walk, a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Wednesday's 10-1 win over the Mariners.

The homer and RBI were his first of the year, and Belt is now 6-for-17 (.353) through five games. The first baseman has never hit more than 18 home runs in a season, but if he can stay healthy in 2018 this could be the season he finally breaks through for 20 or more.

Blackmon agreed to a six-year, $108 million extension with the Rockies, which includes two player options and could keep him in Colorado through the 2023 season. The deal can be worth up to $116 million based on incentives, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

He would have been a free agent after this season, which would have left his keeper and dynasty league value a little up in the air. However, his owners in long-term formats can now breathe a huge sigh of relief, as he should get to continue to benefit from Coors Field throughout the rest of his prime and into his declining years. Blackmon turns 32 in July, so this contract has the potential to look pretty rough in a few years, especially since there is no designated hitter in the National League. He is off to an excellent start to the season, hitting .316 with four home runs and a 3:3 K:BB in 22 plate appearances, and he hasn't even played a home game yet.

Ozuna went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Brewers.

He slugged a mammoth 479-foot shot to left off Chase Anderson in the third with Tommy Pham aboard, making his first regular-season round tripper in a Cardinals uniform a memorable one. Ozuna has shrugged off an 0-for-8 start over his first two games to go 5-for-14 with a double, Tuesday's homer, four RBI and two runs over the subsequent three contests. As those numbers imply, the 27-year-old slugger has been hacking away, with the fact he's yet to draw a free pass after posting a career-high 9.4 percent walk rate last season a testament to his aggressiveness at the plate.

McCutchen has hit third for the Giants while starting in right field for each of the team's first five games to begin the season.

He put together a .341/.431/.477 line with a homer and seven RBI during spring training, but has started the season with a quiet 2-for-20 start. Despite the addition of McCutchen and Evan Longoria this offseason, the Giants have opened the season in a five-game scoring slump, with just six runs on the ledger thus far.

Belt is not in the lineup for Tuesday's home opener against the Mariners, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Buster Posey slides over to first base in Belt's place, with Nick Hundley receiving his first start behind the plate. The Giants face lefty Marco Gonzales on Tuesday, but there's no risk of Belt being platooned, as he started against the first three lefties the Giants faced this season. The move is likely a simple attempt to keep Posey's legs fresh while keeping his bat in the lineup and has little to do with Belt himself.

Harper went 1-for-2 with four walks, a three-run home run and two additional runs scored in Monday's 8-1 win over the Braves.

The 25-year-old superstar is absolutely locked in at the plate to begin the season. Not only does Harper have three homers and seven RBI through four games, he's drawn six walks and has yet to strike out. It's no wonder Atlanta's organist greeted him with the Imperial March from Star Wars when he came to the plate Monday. With a massive free-agent payday awaiting him in the offseason, Harper has all the incentive he needs to post huge numbers in 2018.

Turner (wrist) will resume swinging a bat next week, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Turner's rehab is going as planned, as it was expected that he'd be able to resume swinging three weeks after breaking his left wrist. Barring any setbacks, Turner should be in line to join the Dodgers around the middle of May.

Pederson is starting in center field and batting leadoff Monday against the Diamondbacks, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

With Chris Taylor getting a breather for the first time all season, Pederson will take his spot in center field and atop the order. Pederson hit .250/.333/.375 in 36 plate appearances as the Dodgers' No. 1 hitter last season, and he could once again serve as the team's leadoff man when he starts for Taylor.

Ozuna went 3-for-5 with a double and a pair of RBI in Sunday's 5-1 win over the Mets.

After going hitless with five strikeouts in his first nine at-bats with the Cardinals, Ozuna broke through in the third inning Sunday, roping a double to deep left to score Tommy Pham. He would go on to collect two more base hits in his final three at-bats of the afternoon, giving him some confidence heading into the Cardinals' three-game series in Milwaukee that begins Monday. Since he hasn't struck out in more than 23 percent of his plate appearances the past three campaigns, Ozuna should be less prone to the extended slumps that often befall most power hitters over the course of a long season.

Harper hit two solo home runs, his first of the season, in a 2-for-4 game Sunday against the Reds.

Harper was productive in his first two games, going 2-for-6 with a walk, a run scored and two RBI, but Sunday marked his first explosive performance of 2018. Harper still has yet to prove he can consistently replicate the massive power numbers of his age-22 season of 2015, when he clubbed 42 home runs with a .649 slugging percentage. Sunday's effort serves as a good start in that direction.