MLB Player News

McCutchen went 1-for-4 with a run Thursday against the Tigers.

He has four hits (including two doubles) in 15 Grapefruit League at-bats thus far and has made a relatively easy transition from center field to right. McCutchen, who will soon leave for the World Baseball Classic, has enjoyed a quiet camp following a tumultuous winter.

Pederson went 1-for-3 with his first home run of the spring -- a three-run shot -- in Wednesday's win over the Giants.

The home run was also the centerfielder's first hit in Cactus League action. Pederson has a starting job locked down, so he will just look to get his bat going heading into the regular season. While his job is secure, his spot in the batting order is not. Manager Dave Roberts mentioned Pederson as one of several options that could be used as a leadoff man this season. Pederson's combination of on-base percentage (.352) and power (.495) make him a candidate to bat anywhere in the order. If he ends up batting atop the Dodgers lineup, then his potential for runs goes up while his RBI chances will decrease. The inverse can be said if he lands in the heart of the rotation. Wherever he lands, Pederson will be a good bet for 25 homers and a strong on-base percentage.

Carpenter was removed from the starting lineup of Thursday's spring game because of lower back stiffness and is day-to-day.

He'll be reevaluated Friday. This looks like a precaution for the versatile infielder, who's lined up to play first base on Opening Day. Keep an eye on this issue, but early indications don't provide a reason to panic in fantasy leagues.

Dickerson (back) played catch for the first time since the opening week of camp, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Dickerson said he was feeling good after the light throwing session, a small but important step on the road to recovery. Nonetheless, expect the Padres to be apprehensive with putting him back in game lineups before he feels completely healthy. A clearer timetable should be available as he progresses towards regular workouts.

Ozuna (shoulder) is included in the lineup for Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets, Andre Fernandez of the Miami Herald reports.

A sore shoulder cost Ozuna a few days of action, but he'll be back in left field and hit sixth in the order Tuesday, which could be his regular lineup spot once the regular season arrives. A second-half collapse ended up depressing Ozuna's final numbers in 2016, but he still brought value for those who drafted him with 23 homers, 76 RBI and a .266 batting average.

Turner reached base in both of his plate appearances Saturday, collecting a hit, a walk, an RBI and a run scored in a spring training win over the White Sox.

Fresh off a big contract extension, Turner is looking to repeat the career marks he set at the plate last season. The 27 homers seems like an outlier when you consider his previous totals and his age, but the third baseman looks like a safe source of batting average, runs and RBI while batting in the the heart of the Dodgers' lineup this season.

Carpenter had a first-inning sacrifice fly and blasted a two-run homer in Saturday's 8-7 Grapefruit League loss the Marlins.

Hitting out of the three-hole with the newly-acquired Dexter Fowler now batting leadoff, Carpenter blasted a two-run homer in the third that scored his new teammate. He'd also driven Fowler home in the first with a sacrifice fly, giving the new Cardinals starting first baseman an auspicious start to the exhibition slate.

Harper launched a tape-measure home run on the first pitch he saw as part of a 2-for-2 day in Saturday's Grapefruit League opener against the Mets.

The no-doubt shot, which nearly cleared the second fence at the back of the hill overlooking Tradition Field in right-center, announced as clearly as anything could that Harper is 100 percent healthy to begin the spring. Last year's struggles have knocked his ADP down a peg in early drafts, but don't be surprised if it starts creeping back up if he continues to light up opposition pitchers through March.

Belt started and went 1-for-2 in his Cactus League debut Friday.

The extremely patient Belt is looking to repeat last year's career-best .394 on-base percentage and .868 OPS. While his power never developed to the 25-homer level many pegged him for as a prospect, he has turned into a consistent option at first base and should finish with solid counting stats batting in the heart of the Giants' order. Leagues that use on-base percentage should value Belt higher than standard formats, but he will still hold value in other formats given how shallow the first base position is this year.

Pederson was named as one of several options manager Dave Roberts is considering batting leadoff, according to SB Nation.

Logan Forsythe makes the most sense and has to be the early favorite to lead off most nights, but Pederson isn't a terrible option despite his power. His .246 batting average in 2016 doesn't scream "leadoff hitter," but he did get on base at a .352 clip, which is top-of-the-order material. That being said, it would be surprising if Roberts moved Pederson's .847 OPS out of the heart of the lineup.