MLB Player News

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.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper jammed his left thumb Friday night against the Padres. He underwent an X-ray after leaving the game, which came back negative.

Harper's thumb is swollen and it appears as if he'll avoid a stint on the disabled list. He is expected to re-evaluated again on Saturday, according to Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was locked in at the plate, but had his night cut short due to an apparent wrist injury, the Washington Post reports.

Harper lined a bases-clearing triple in the third inning, but injured his wrist diving headfirst into third base. Before leaving the game after four innings, Harper was 2 for 2 with a triple and four RBI. He is hitting .289 with one home run and nine RBI in 83 at-bats.

His status remains up in the air for Saturday's game against San Diego.

Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter was almost constantly on base Wednesday, in a 3-2 loss to the Mets. Carpenter reached four times, with three singles and a walk to his credit, though he scored just once while going 4 for 5.

 A recent three-game hitting streak has raised Carpenter's average to .296, and he carries a .392 on-base percentage and .346 slugging percentage as well through 22 games.