MLB Player News

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen was able to pinch-hit Thursday against the Marlins after being scratched before the game with right shoulder discomfort. McCutchen had a single in his only at-bat in the seventh inning.

Over his last seven games, Giants first baseman Brandon Belt is hitting .471 with a double, a home run, and a 1.414 OPS. While he was due for a surge at some point, this jump in production actually has a direct reason.

On his MLB.com blog (which more people should really be reading), Belt writes that the team's hitting coaches have been suggesting he move back in the box and hold the bat with ihs fingers, not his palms. "But I was stubborn," Belt says. "I'd been successful my whole life with what I'd always done." It took some conversations with other players -- including Buster Posey and a player on another team -- to convince him to try it. His first attempt at the changes? Seven games ago. 

Belt says the tweaks allowed him to see the ball better, and have eliminated a rushed feeling at the plate. "I felt I was really tapping into my ability," Belt writes, "like I did in spring training." Fun fact: Belt hit .410 with eight home runs and a 1.265 OPS in 24 spring games. 

Owned in 46 percent of leagues, Belt has given us all a very tangible reason for this sudden outburst. If he sticks to the changes -- and he says he's 100 percent committed -- Belt could be a Fantasy steal this late in the season. 

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt made his first career start as a cleanup hitter Thursday against the Brewers. Belt is batting .471 (8 for 17) with one double, one triple, one home run, two RBI, three walks and six runs in his last six games.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen was scratched from Thursday's lineup against the Marlins because of right shoulder discomfort. McCutchen is considered day to day.

McCutchen has managed two hits in five straight games. He's batting .625 (10 for 16) with one home run, three doubles and six RBI in that span.

Nationals manager Davey Johnson was worried Wednesday against the Braves when outfielder Bryce Harper jogged to first base after flying out in the seventh inning.

"I was concerned about his leg bothering him because he didn't round the base," Johnson said, referring to the left knee that caused Harper to miss 31 games earlier this season, per MLB.com. "That was all that was about."

Harper and Johnson were seen arguing in the dugout, but Harper said the exchange wasn't as animated as it looked.

"He was checking on my leg and seeing how I felt," Harper said. "I just told him that I felt fine and I didn't want him to take me out of the game. I wanted to stay in the game."

Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen filled up the stat sheet in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Marlins, going 2 for 3 with one walk, one solo home run and one stolen base. It was McCutchen's fifth straight two-hit performance, a streak over which he's hit three doubles and scored five times.

McCutchen owns a .312/.384/.511 line with 16 home runs, 65 RBI and 24 stolen bases in 417 at-bats and is firmly in the mix for the NL MVP Award.

Phillies outfielder Darin Ruf failed to reach base Wednesday against the Cubs, the first time he has been held off base dating back to last season.

Ruf went 0 for 4 in a 5-2 loss, while striking out twice, ending a 33-game on-base streak that was the longest in the majors. Ruf's average fell to .294, while his on-base percentage stands at .400 in 85 at-bats. 

I'm with colleague Nando Di Fino in declaring the Phillies' Darin Ruf one of the more underowned hitters in Fantasy.

Granted, most 27-year-olds who hit .266 with seven home runs in 305 at-bats at Triple-A prior to a midseason promotion aren't so deserving of a second look. But last year, Ruf led all minor-leaguers with 38 home runs, and he did it at Double-A, which is usually a tougher adjustment than Triple-A. Maybe losing the battle for the starting left field job in spring training put him in a funk. Since arriving in the big leagues July 6, he has looked much more like the player who compiled a .299 batting and .380 on-base percentage over five minor-league, reaching base in all 24 of the games he's played so far.

But his greatest attribute is power. The 400-foot shots come so effortlessly for him. He has two already, including one against Kris Medlen over the weekend that would have left all 30 ballparks. He also has two home runs of more reasonable distance, giving him four in 81 at-bats.

And I predict more to come, making Ruf an ideal waiver claim for all those owners who lost Nelson Cruz to the Biogenesis suspensions.

With his home run Tuesday, Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper passed Ken Griffey Jr. for the most home runs before age-21.

With 39 home runs already, Harper only trails Mel Ott and Tony Conigliaro. Harper will turn 21 in October, but would have to hit 17 home runs to tie Conigliaro, which doesn't seem likely. Still, passing Griffey in any category is a pretty high honor for a 20-year-old. 

Harper is hitting .271/.365/.526 in 266 at-bats. 

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen extended a handful of minor streaks Tuesday, as he continued to swing a hot bat in a 4-3 win over the Marlins.

McCutchen picked up his fourth multi-hit game in a row by going 2 for 3, while adding a pair of RBI, his fourth game in a row with at least one. McCutchen also walked once in the win, the third straight game he has done so.

McCutchen has been on fire in August, batting .600 with five RBI, four walks, four runs scored and three doubles in five games. He is hitting .309 on the season with an .884 OPS.