MLB Player News

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter got on base four times in the nightcap of Wednesday's doubleheader against Pittsburgh, recording a double, a triple, two walks and three runs.

That's a 4 for 7 day -- with all four hits going for extra bases -- and five runs for Carpenter, pushing him to 101 trips around the bases on the year. He's been racking up multi-hit games lately like it's his job. Oh, wait, it is his job.

X-rays on the left hand of Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes came back negative, as the outfielder has been diagnosed with a contusion of the left, middle and ring fingers.

Cespedes appears to have dodged a bullet here, as a broken hand would have likely ended the year of the late-season acquisition. Nonetheless, Cespedes could be operating at less than 100 percent during the season's final weeks, as the outfielder could still have trouble gripping a bat.

With the NL East wrapped up, it wouldn't be surprising to see Cespedes get some rest during the last few games of the regular season. For now, at least, Mets fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes left Wednesday's game with an apparent hand/wrist injury, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reports.

Cespedes was 0 for 1 with a walk prior to exiting in the third frame after being hit with a Justin De Fratus pitch. Looks for the Mets to update his status when more information becomes available.

Marlins outfielder Christian Yelich went 2 for 4 with a double and RBI in a defeat to Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

Yelich continues his torrid pace in September, having now reached base safely in 13 consecutive games and tallying 10 multi-hit performances during the month. He has been a terrific source of offensive production for a Marlins squad that has endured the loss of Giancarlo Stanton since late June, and he will close out the season with three consecutive months of .300-plus hitting.

Phillies first baseman Darin Ruf went 1 for 4 with a three-run homer in Tuesday's 4-3 victory over the Mets.

The veteran first baseman's first-inning three-run shot off Bartolo Colon was his third in the last seven games, and his fourth overall in September. Ruf has demonstrated some offensive pop in the form of 11 round-trippers over 252 at-bats and a .413 slugging percentage this season.

Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (hand) Stanton (hand) was officially ruled out for the season by manager Dan Jennings on Tuesday, the Miami Herald reports.

It's been obvious for some time that Stanton would not make it back to game action after his rehab from a surgery to remove a broken hamate bone progressed more slowly than expected. Stanton was noted to have an abnormal amount of scar tissue in his left wrist and struggled to regain strength in thehand while taking batting practice over the last several weeks.

He'll now have a full offseason to let the wrist heal and get back to full strength. The slugger's 2015 season ends with a beastly .265/.346/.606 triple slash with 27 home runs and 67 RBI over just 318 plate appearances (74 games). Still just 25 years old, Stanton's first-round upside will remain intact in 2016, but it's troubling that he's played more than 123 games just twice in his six major league seasons.

Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Reds.

Soler recorded just one hit over his last four games, so manager Joe Maddon decided to give him a day off Tuesday. Chris Coghlan will get the start in right field in Soler's place.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen has four hits in his last 25 at-bats and has walked 16 times in his last nine games. 

Opponents are pitching more carefully than ever to McCutchen, who has only two RBI in his last 13 games. He did steal his fourth base in 14 contests Monday after totaling seven steals during the first five-plus months of 2015.

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter went 1 for 4 with a run scored in Monday's 3-0 win over the Pirates.

Carpenter's run would be the difference maker, as the third baseman scored on a routine single mishandled in the outfield by Gregory Polanco in the ninth inning. The 29-year-old has been the catalyst of St. Louis' offense this season, leading the team in home runs and runs batted in. With four multi-hit performances in his last seven games, Carpenter is primed to lead the Cardinals into the postseason.

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter smashed his 27th home run of the season, finishing 2 for 5 in the loss to Milwaukee on Sunday.

So much for Carpenter not offering much power. One of the negatives owners faced with Carpenter from a Fantasy perspective is that he wasn't expected to have much power compared to a typical third baseman.

It appears he's successfully swapped some of his average for a very nice boost in power. Carpenter is currently fifth among all third baseman in home runs this year.