MLB Player News

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper will bat ninth for the first time in his career during Tuesday's All-Star Game.

Harper will play center field, and hit behind DH Michael Cuddyer. He'll oppose AL starter Max Scherzer. Harper is hitting .264/.371/.522 in 201 at-bats. 

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt homered and extended his modest hitting streak to five games Saturday at San Diego. Belt supplied two hits and three RBI to back Tim Lincecum's no-hit performance.

Belt had his first multi-hit game in July Saturday. He is batting .250 (10 for 40) with one triple, two home runs, three doubles, four RBI, seven walks and eight runs in 11 July games.

Phillies outfielder Darin Ruf homered in the first game of the club's doubleheader Saturday against the White Sox.

Ruf finished 3 for 4 with two runs scored, a walk and an RBI. Even with an 0 for 4 in the second game of the doubleheader, Ruf owns a brilliant .375/.483/.750 line in eight games this season.

Mets infielder Justin Turner is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Class A St. Lucie Sunday, ESPN reports. Turner went 0 for 4 and served as a designated hitter for the Gulf Coast League Mets Saturday. He is expected back at some point next week when the Mets resume the second half of the season.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was ejected in the eighth inning of Saturday's game against the Marlins for arguing ball and strikes.

Harper threw his arms up after being called out on strikes and was immediately ejected. It was his third career ejection, with two of the three occurring in Miami. Harper finished 0 for 3 with a walk and was replaced by Scott Hairston.

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton homered for the ninth time this season Friday during an 8-3 win over Washington. Stanton took Stephen Strasburg deep for a two-run shot in the second frame. 

He finished 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored. He's batting .246. 

Stanton has recorded at least one base hit in five of his last six games. He has gone 5 for 19 (.263) over that stretch with four RBI. The homer Friday was his first of the month. 

Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna drove in three runs Friday during an 8-3 win over Washington. Ozuna's triple with the bases loaded in the first inning tied the score at three. 

Ozuna finished 1 for 4 with two strikeouts and is batting .273 on the season. The rookie is batting just .152 (7 for 46) in July, as he's struck out nine times over 11 games. 

The Astros brought in a left-handed reliever to try to neutralize Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter Wednesday, but that plan backfired and eventually led to their 5-4 loss. Carpenter hit a two-run home run off Wesley Wright to give the Cardinals the win, and Carpenter told reporters he isn't phased by teams trying to gain a platoon advantage.

"I've always felt, my whole career, even as an amateur, like I see lefties pretty well," said Carpenter. "I try to take the same approach and just get a good pitch to hit and try to put a good swing on it."

 Carpenter has nine home runs on the season, with four of them coming of lefties. He went 1 for 3 with a walk, two RBI and a run scored in the game.

Phillies outfielder Darin Ruf continued to bring a solid bat Wednesday against the Nationals, as he hit safely for the fifth straight game since being recalled from Triple-A.

Ruf had just one hit in the game, but it was his first home run of the season, a solo shot in a 5-1 loss. He finished the game 1 for 3 with a walk, bringing his average to .385 through five games.  

Roc Nation Sports is looking to represent two Cuban major leaguers, Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig and Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, Yahoo! Sports reports. Puig already has met with the agency and reportedly left intrigued.

Roc Nation Sports, led by agent and rapper Jay-Z, signed Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano as its first client earlier this year. The agency has partnered wth Creative Artists Agency.