MLB Player News

Pirates centerfielder Andrew McCutchen went 0 for 4 on Tuesday to drop his batting average to .185 through 92 at-bats.

McCutchen, the 2013 National League MVP, said after Tuesday's loss to the Reds that he doesn't need time off but avoided answering if he was injured.

“Right now I’m not doing what I should be doing for the money I’m making," McCutchen said. "Right now, it's under mediocre right now ... It's bad and I know I'm better than that."

Justin Turner drove in four of the Dodgers' eight runs in Tuesday's win over Milwaukee. The third baseman went 3 for 4, lifting his average to .333. His three-run home run in the sixth inning put the Dodgers on top to stay. 

Turner now has six homers and 10 RBI. 

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle acknowledged Tuesday that center fielder Andrew McCutchen is picking his spots to run to first base on batted balls to limit the wear on his knee, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

"I don't think it's a concerning area right now," Hurdle said about McCutchen's knee.

"I think Andrew has already figured out some ways to do some different things," Hurdle said of McCutchen handling the discomfort, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I think the more we talk about his physical presence being diminished, I think we're (headed) in the wrong direction."

McCutchen has struggled in the early part of the season while dealing with the health issues. He's hit just .193/.291/.307 with two home runs and 13 RBI in 88 at-bats.

Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner and left fielder Alex Guerrero are in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Brewers.

Turner is batting fifth while drawing his first start in three games. Juan Uribe will head to the bench with Turner in the lineup.

Guerrero is batting eight and manning left field for the third time since Carl Crawford was placed on the disabled list. His presence in the lineup sends Scott Van Slyke to the bench.

The Dodgers are heavy road favorites (-165) Tuesday.

Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler returned to the starting lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Cardinals. Soler was hitting in the cleanup spot for the first time this season, as manager Joe Maddon did some juggling in his batting order.

Third baseman Kris Bryant was batting third on Tuesday, after hitting cleanup in each of his first 16 games of the year.

Phillies first baseman Darin Ruf made just his second start in the cleanup slot Monday and rewarded manager Ryne Sandberg's decision by going 3 for 5 with a double and two runs scored in his team's 5-2 win over the Braves.

Ruf, who's other start as a cleanup hitter came in the first week of the season, saw himself bumped to the No. 3 spot over the weekend, and after going 3 for 7 with a walk and a home run in two games in that role, he was in the No. 4 slot Monday.

Ruf had just a .139 batting average and .506 OPS heading into the weekend but is now hitting .229/.296/.438 with two home runs and five RBI in 48 at-bats.

Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter has been off to a hot start this season. 

However, in Monday night's 10-9 win over the Cubs, Carpenter's bat was missing in action. Carpenter finished the game 0 for 5 with two strikeouts. This is only the fourth time this season in 24 games that Carpenter has gone without a hit. 

This is also the first time in 2015 that Carpenter recorded less than two hits in five at-bats in a single game. 

He now holds a slash line of .347/.412/.624. 

Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson went 1 for 4 at the plate in Los Angeles' 4-3 loss to the Brewers on Monday. Pederson did his damage in the first inning, crushing a lead off home run off of Kyle Lohse, his seventh of the season.

Pederson moved his average to .270 with 16 RBI in 74 at-bats.

Although he exited Sunday's game with light headness, third basman Matt Carpenter is in the Cardinals' starting lineup on Monday, batting second.

Kolten Wong received a rest and was not in Sunday's lineup for the Cards but returns Monday, playing second base and batting seventh.

Struggling catcher Yadier Molina, who's been dealing with knee soreness, will not start Monday as Tony Cruz gets the nod at catcher and will hit eighth.

Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler was given the day off on Monday against the Cardinals. Soler had started each of the Cubs' first 23 games of the season, and with just seven hits in his last 34 at-bats, he seemed due for a rest, though he is riding a modest three-game hitting streak.

Manager Joe Maddon said that while Monday's break was just to give the right fielder a breather, the team will monitor him as the weather heats up, ESPN reports. Soler has previously dealt with leg issues.

"Dehydration is the thing I'm always concerned with," Maddon said. "The hotter it gets the more and more I'm worried about that kind of a thing. We have to be really proactive the next couple of weeks making sure we don't run anyone into the ground."

Chris Denorfia replaced Soler in right field, while Chris Coghlan moved up to the second spot in manager Joe Maddon's batting order.