MLB Player News

Blackmon went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-1 loss to the Marlins.

The homer was his ninth, and while Blackmon's batting average remains below its usual standard -- he's hitting .259 (7-for-27) over the last week and .281 on the season -- due in large part to the Rockies' road-heavy schedule to date, he's made up for it with an April power binge.

Ozuna went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI in Friday's 6-5 extra-inning loss to the Pirates.

He's broken out of a 1-for-23 slump in a big way, collecting six hits and five RBI in his last three games. Ozuna's .257/.276/.347 slash line remains below expectations, but it's trending in the right direction.

Manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers' current goal for Turner (wrist) is to begin a rehab assignment late next week, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

If Turner is able to take batting practice on the field by early next week, the rehab assignment seems likely to follow. The 33-year-old has been progressing slowly but surely in his recovery from a fractured left wrist, and a return in mid-May still appears on the table.

Carpenter is not in the lineup Friday against the Pirates.

Carpenter hasn't been the type of player to sit out against lefties, but he is just 2-for-17 with no extra-base hits against southpaws this year. Jedd Gyorko will enter the lineup at third base to replace him Friday.

Cespedes went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI on Thursday against the Cardinals.

Cespedes has gotten off to a slow start but continues to drive in runs while batting predominantly second or third in the Mets' lineup. Thursday was no different, as he came to the plate with a runner on base in three of his at-bats and he took advantage. He has an unsightly 42 percent strikeout rate that is holding his average back, but that figures to correct itself as the season wears on.

Ozuna went 1-for-4 with a two-run single in a win over the Mets on Wednesday.

Ozuna helped set the tone for what would end up being a prolific night for the Cardinals offense, coming through with a clutch two-run, two-out single in the third inning. The marquee offseason acquisition has been mired in a slump recently, as after a scorching hot start to April, he's only 2-for-27 over his last seven games. However, he's been a run-producing machine throughout the month, with Wednesday's pair of RBI pushing his total to 13.

Winker is out of the lineup Thursday against the Braves, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Interim manager Jim Riggleman is stacking his starting nine with mostly right-handed bats to counter Atlanta lefty Sean Newcomb, resulting in lineup mainstays Winker and Scooter Gennett receiving the day off. Winker's move to the bench will open up a spot in the lineup for Billy Hamilton, who had sat out Wednesday as part of the Reds' four-man outfield rotation.

Carpenter is out of the lineup against the Mets on Wednesday, Brian Stull of St. Louis Baseball Weekly reports.

Carpenter will receive a standard day off following five straight starts as Jedd Gyorko gets the nod at third base for Wednesday's affair. Over 21 games in 2018, Carpenter is hitting .167/.326/.306 with two home runs and 10 RBI.

Belt went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and a walk in Tuesday's win over the visiting Nationals.

The homers keep coming for the first baseman. That's now five home runs in the last six games, with eight RBI in that span. Belt has brought his slash line up to .292/.418/.691, with 12 RBI and 10 runs scored in 19 games. He'll look to keep the hot bat going during the homestand, with the Dodgers and Padres heading to town next.

Cespedes went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run and two strikeouts in Tuesday's win over the Cardinals.

It's been boom-or-bust to this point with Cespedes, who's struck out nine times in the last three games while dropping to a .195/.255/.379 slash line in the process. Despite that, he still ranks second in the NL with 21 RBI thanks to his five home runs and some timely hitting. He's hit .280 or better in each of the last three seasons, and it seems like only a matter of time until the average ticks up.