MLB Player News

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley received a day of rest Thursday afternoon against the Cardinals. Utley has gotten off to an ice-cold start this season, hitting .114 (8 for 70) with two homers, 11 RBI and one stolen base in 21 games.

The team will have Darin Ruf bat third for only the second time in his career, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Ruf has not been in the starting lineup since April 23. He is hitting .139 (5 for 36) to start the season.

Philadelphia is considered an underdog (+160) at St. Louis, per VegasInsider.com.

Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson batted in the leadoff position for the first time in his career on Wednesday, and he did not disappoint. Pederson led off the Dodgers' half of the first inning with his fourth home run of the season. He also walked once and struck out once as the Dodgers defeated the Giants 7-3.

Pederson entered Wednesday's contest with the third-best on-base percentage in the National League, and with usual leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins struggling, manager Don Mattingly moved Pederson from the eighth spot to the top of the lineup.

"Obviously, he's handled that eighth spot," Mattingly said, per the Los Angeles Times. "It's really a tough spot for a young player, with that pitcher behind you. We're not asking him to do anything differently. I know everybody makes a big deal out of lineup changes and things, but you're not doing anything differently.

Pederson is slashing .348/.500/.826 with three home runs and six RBI over his last 10 games.

Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton went 2 for 4 with three RBI in Miami's 7-3 win over the Mets Wednesday.

Stanton did his damage in the first inning when he crushed a Bartolo Colon pitch over the left field wall for a two-run homer, his sixth of the year. He added another RBI on an infield single in the fifth.

Stanton is now hitting .284 with 21 RBI to lead the majors in 81 at-bats.

Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson is leading off for the first time this season Wednesday in his team's matchup with the Giants.

"He may end up back [eighth]," manager Don Mattingly said before the game, per MLB.com. "We don't know when Yasiel [Puig] comes back. For now, I feel he fits right there [at leadoff]."

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins has been moved to No. 2 in the order, making it his first start this season out of the leadoff slot. Manager Don Mattingly also flipped first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and second baseman Howie Kendrick, with Kendrick moving up to the third spot and Gonzalez batting cleanup.

The Dodgers are heavy favorites (-200) against the Giants at home Wednesday.

The Marlins got RBI from three players in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Mets. 

Giancarlo Stanton singled in a run in the sixth to put the Marlins on top and record his 18th RBI of the season.

J.T. Realmuto singled in Stanton for his third RBI of the year. 

Michael Morse singled in the game-winning run in the eighth for his eighth RBI of the year. 

Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen has gotten off to a slow start to the season. Entering action on Tuesday, he was hitting .175 for the year and had an 0-for-16 stretch that ended on Sunday. 

"We’ve had a handful of guys spark our club," manager Clint Hurdle said, per the Post Gazette. After listing five members of the lineup, Hurdle said. "All of them have been involved (in the offense). McCutchen really hasn't." 

Hurdle isn't ready to push the panic button. He's confident McCutchen will heat up. "I believe it’s just one of those stretches," he said. "He’s going to produce. He’s going to hit. He’s going to drive in runs. He’s going to score runs."

Cardinals center fielder Jon Jay is batting leadoff Tuesday against the Phillies, with third baseman Matt Carpenter moving to the No. 2 spot in the lineup.

It's the first time this season the Cardinals haven't had Carpenter in the leadoff spot, and former No. 2 hitter Jason Heyward is back in the lineup Tuesday but batting sixth. Jay has hit just .233/.324/.267 with seven runs scored in 60 at-bats. Carpenter has hit .373/.427/.640 with three home runs, 11 RBI and a league-leading 11 doubles in 75 at-bats.

The Cardinals are heavy favorites (-210) against the Phillies Tuesday.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo has been moved up to the No. 2 spot in the batting order for Tuesday's matchup with the Pirates, while Jorge Soler has been bumped down one spot and is batting third.

It's the third time in a row that manager Joe Maddon has used this configuration against a lefty, with Rizzo batting behind Soler in the team's last eight matchups with a righty. The lefty first baseman actually performed better against lefties last season, hitting .300/.421/.507 with eight home runs in 140 at-bats, and the trend has carried over this April.

The Cubs are favorites (-117) against the Pirates Tuesday.

Marlins center fielder Marcell Ozuna is serving as the cleanup hitter Tuesday for the fourth straight game.

Ozuna opened the season in the No. 6 spot before moving to the fifth slot a week ago. He then shifted to the cleanup role Saturday and has remained there since. The center fielder has hit has hit .270/.342/.317 with four RBI in 63 at-bats.

The Marlins are favorites (-112) against the Mets Tuesday, per VegasInsider.com.

Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson and infielder Justin Turner each connected on a home run Monday to help lead the Dodgers to a 8-3 victory over the Giants.

Pederson hit a solo shot off George Kontos in the sixth inning for his third home run of the season. Pederson also doubled to finish the game 2 for 3 with two RBI.

"He made a great play in the first," manager Don Mattingly said of Pederson after the game, per MLB.com. "Then the double, the home run, even the walk late [in the eighth inning]. It's tough for a young player to take a 3-2 pitch sometimes. That walk gets J.T. [Justin Turner] up there at a good time."

Meanwhile, Turner broke the game open in the eighth inning when he connected on a three-run home run off Yusmeiro Petit. Turner was pinch hitting when he belted the home run. It was his first of the season.