MLB Player News

The Nationals fear outfielder Bryce Harper (thumb) might miss significantly more time than his 15-day stay on the disabled list, sources told CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman. Harper is scheduled to see a hand specialist Monday.

Phillies outfielder Darin Ruf is making progress, but is not expected to be activated during the team's seven-game homestand. Ruf, who is working his way back from a strained oblique, will need to play in extended spring training games before rejoining the big-league club.

"He needs at-bats," the general manager said. "He needs to play in games. We'll start him off at extended and see where he goes from there but he needs at-bats."

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper will get a second opinion on the sprained thumb that just landed him on the 15-day disabled list. The evaluation will determine the injury's severity and how long it will keep him out, reports the Washington Post.

"Doesn't look good," a person familiar with the situation told the paper.

Harper wore a small cast on his hand during Saturday's win over the Padres. He got hurt Friday sliding headfirst into third on his three-run triple.

Nats manager Matt Williams said Harper suffered a similar sprain in high school, and that the second opinion will sort out what damage is new, according to the Post.

The Nationals placed outfielder Bryce Harper on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 26, with a sprained left thumb, reports the Washington Post. Washington recalled Steven Souza Jr. from Class AAA Syracuse.

Harper, who suffered the injury Friday, was hitting .289 with a homer and nine RBI.

The Nationals are being cautious with outfielder Bryce Harper, according to The Washington Post.

Prior to Saturday's game, manager Matt Williams expressed that Harper might be available off the bench over the next few days. He changed his tune after the game, explaining that Harper would only be used in emergency situations. While it's unclear what Harper's recent MRI showed, the team made sure to sit minor-league outfielder Steven Souza Jr. in case he needs to take Harper's place in the lineup. 

Harper is hitting .289 in 83 at-bats.

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is showing signs of breaking out of a slump, as he hit safely for the fourth game in a row Saturday against the Mets.

Stanton had just one hit in the game, but he made it count, sparking a sixth-inning rally with a two-run homer to right field. He ultimately finished the game 1 for 5, lowering his batting average to .278.

Stanton has seen his average fall from .329 over the last week, but is still hitting .278/.352/.567 with seven home runs and a major-league leading 29 RBI in 24 games.  

Sizzling Rockies right fielder Charlie Blackmon is 8 for 19 against left-handers this season, but that did not prevent his absence from the Saturday lineup against Dodgers southpaw Paul Maholm.

Blackmon has followed up an encouraging 2013 with a brilliant start this year. He boasts an MLB-best .398 batting average and is second with a .663 slugging percentage. He has five home runs, 17 RBI and 20 runs.

A visit to a hand specialist has spurred a scheduled MRI for Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, whose thumb ailment could be worse than first anticipated. He is out Saturday and will likely not play Sunday either, per MLB.com.

Harper sustained the injury sliding into third base on a triple Friday night.

Nationals slugger Bryce Harper was scheduled to visit a hand specialist Saturday morning to have his jammed thumb checked, per the Washington Post. But he is available off the bench for the game against San Diego and Matt Williams does not anticipate him missing more than a game or two.

"The early tests, anyway, are pretty good," Williams said. "X-rays are negative. There's some swelling there. We just want to make sure we knock it out."

Harper sustained the injury sliding into third base on a triple Friday night.

A thumb injury sustained Friday night has Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper out of the Saturday lineup against the Padres. His thumb is swollen, but Matt Williams said he will be available off the bench.

Harper jammed the thumb, but x-rays came back negative and he can be considered day-to-day.