MLB Player News

Winker will return to the top of the Reds' order and play right field against Pittsburgh on Friday, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.

Winker will hit out of the leadoff position for the fourth time this season, which is where he will typically be located when the club faces a right-hander. Expect to see Billy Hamilton hitting first versus southpaws. Through the first week of the year, Winker has gone 2-for-11 with five walks and five strikeouts.

Cespedes went 1-for-4 with a solo homer and a walk in Thursday's win over the Nationals.

Cespedes' hot start to the season continues. The slugger has now connected on three homers and driven in seven through the first six games of the campaign. He should continue to produce while hitting in the middle of the Mets' lineup so long as he stays healthy.

Carpenter went 0-for-2 with an RBI groundout and two walks in Wednesday's 6-0 win over the Brewers.

His grounder to first in the third inning brought home Dexter Fowler and moved Tommy Pham over to third, giving the Cardinals a 2-0 lead at the time and setting up a two-run homer by Marcell Ozuna in the very next at-bat. Carpenter has gone hitless over the last two games, but his patience at the plate often allows him to make an offensive impact even when the ball isn't dropping in. Carpenter has now drawn five free passes over the last three contests entering play Thursday.

Vientos will remain behind in extended spring training to begin the season, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports.

There's been no word of an injury for the Mets' No. 1 fantasy prospect, but after playing in 51 games at rookie ball last year as a 17-year-old, Vientos won't be rushed. He hit only four homers in 2017, but the power should come as he matures, marking him as a potential impact bat at third base.

Cespedes will bat third and start in left field Thursday against the Nationals, Tim Britton of The Athletic New York reports.

Cespedes has hit second in four of his other five starts this season, but it looks like the three hole could be his permanent home with Michael Conforto (shoulder) returning from the disabled list Thursday and set to handle the leadoff role on an everyday basis. Whether he's hitting second or third for the Mets on a given day, Cespedes should benefit from a bounty of RBI and run-scoring opportunities due to the talent in front of him and behind him in the order.

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.