MLB Player News

Cespedes (leg) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Reds.

Tuesday marks the fourth consecutive game that Cespedes has been sidelined for due to a troublesome leg bruise that had to be drained Monday. Juan Lagares will remain as the starting center fielder while Michael Conforto will bat out of the cleanup spot. There is still no word on when Cespedes will be able to get back on the field, but he is listed as day-to-day for the time being.

Harper is back in the lineup Tuesday, batting third against the Phillies.

After receiving his first day off of the season Sunday, Harper will be back in his usual spot in the lineup for the Nationals' series opener against Philadelphia, batting third. The 23-year-old superstar is off to a tremendous start this season, slashing .323//405/.855 with nine home runs and 23 RBI. He'll be facing Philadelphia right-hander Vince Velasquez on Tuesday.

Stanton went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer, a walk, and a pair of RBI in Monday's 3-2 win over the Dodgers.

Stanton followed his solo blast in the fourth with an RBI double the next inning, accounting for two of Miami's three runs. The 26-year-old slugger has gone yard in consecutive contests, and is up to five dingers in 17 games. What separates Stanton from most of the other guys off to fast starts in the home run department is that he actually possesses the power to sustain this pace over a full season, health permitting.

Carpenter homered, his third, in Monday's loss to the Diamondbacks.

Carpenter finished 2-for-5, his first multi-hit game in his last 10. He's hitting just .239, but the discipline and power have been there. Carpenter's .851 OPS currently ranks fifth among National League first basemen, and he still has room to improve.

Turner (toe) is in the starting lineup Monday.

After sitting out Saturday's game, Turner walked as a pinch hitter Sunday. He'll man the cleanup spot Monday night with the Dodgers sitting their lefties against Miami southpaw Wei-Yin Chen.

McCutchen is not in the starting lineup Monday night against the Rockies, Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

It's McCutchen's first day off of the 2016 season. Starling Marte will slide over to play center field while Matt Joyce draws into the lineup and hits second against Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis.

Cespedes had fluid drained from his leg Monday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Manager Terry Collins reiterated that Cespedes would not be available in Monday's matchup with the Reds and will remain day-to-day for the time being. His status for the Mets' current series with Cincinnati is up in the air at this point.

Cespedes (leg) is not in the starting lineup Monday against the Reds.

With Cespedes on the bench to begin Monday's game, Alejandro de Aza is drawing another start in center field and batting seventh for the Mets on Monday. Cespedes remains day-to-day with the ailment.

Harper was not in the starting lineup Sunday, but pinch hit in the ninth and launched a solo shot to send the game into extra innings, his ninth home run of the season.

His 2016 season is looking more and more like a sequel to The Natural every day. Harper now sports an utterly ridiculous .323/.405/.855 slash line through 62 at-bats, and has more walks (10) and just as many homers (nine) as strikeouts.

McCutchen went 1-for-6 with four strikeouts Sunday against the Diamondbacks.

He's struggling right now, with opposing pitchers challenging him with 92-mph fastballs -- and winning. McCutchen has whiffed 19 times in his last 12 games and has just six extra-base hits in 89 at-bats in 2016. Manager Clint Hurdle has started him in each of the team's first 19 games, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him get a day off in the near future. That said, Monday begins a four-game set in hitter-friendly Colorado, which could be the perfect tonic for McCutchen's slump.