MLB Player News

Winker is not starting Thursday against the Cubs.

Winker will give way to Phillip Ervin in left field for Thursday's series opener against the Cubs with left-hander Cole Hamels toeing the rubber for Chicago. Look for the outfielder, who is slashing .368/.442/.553 with two home runs and six RBI over his past 15 appearances, to rejoin the lineup against righty Yu Darvish on Friday.

Harper went 2-for-4 with a home run in Wednesday's 6-1 loss to the Diamondbacks.

Harper accounted for the first and only extra-base hit of the game with a solo homer off Kevin Ginkel in the ninth inning. The 26-year-old now has 20 long balls on the season along with 74 RBI and 66 runs scored while slashing .251/.371/.467.

Carpenter, who went 2-for-2 with a walk in a loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday, left the game in the ninth inning after getting hit in the foot by a pitch, the Associated Press reports.

Manager Mike Shildt didn't have an update on Carpenter following the game. The fact the Cardinals have an off day Thursday could help Carpenter get through the issue without missing any games. Ironically, the struggling veteran was enjoying his best game Wednesday since returning from a stint on the injured list with a separate foot issue.

Ozuna went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Dodgers.

His sixth-inning shot off Dustin May looked like it would hold up as the only offense of the game, until the Dodgers rallied for a walkoff win in the ninth. Ozuna's long ball was his first in five games since coming off the IL and his 21st of the year, and he now sports a .252/.329/.505 slash line.

Stanton (knee) resumed light baseball activities Wednesday, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.

Stanton was able to throw and hit off a tee, which is encouraging progress for the veteran slugger, who has been sidelined for more than a month with a right knee injury. He's also been running on an anti-gravity treadmill, per Lindsey Adler of The Athletic. Despite the encouraging progress, Stanton remains without a clear return timeline.

Dickerson (oblique) won't return when first eligible Sunday, Amy Gutierrez of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Dickerson was originally expected to require just a minimum-length stay on the injured list after straining his oblique at the end of July. He's now a bit behind that timeline. He may also require a brief rehab assignment before returning to action, further delaying his return date.

Belt is not starting Wednesday against the Nationals.

Belt hasn't been swinging the bat well lately, hitting .178/.229/.289 over his last 11 games. Pablo Sandoval will start at first base in his absence.

Alvarez went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run Tuesday in the Astros' 11-6 win over the Rockies.

Alvarez took German Marquez deep in the second inning for his 14th home run, making him the first Astros player in franchise history to reach that total within his first 50 games, per ESPN Stats & Info. The rookie will put an eight-game on-base streak on the line in the series finale Wednesday, when he'll bat cleanup while occupying the designated hitter spot.

Carpenter is starting at third base and hitting sixth Wednesday against the Dodgers.

Carpenter hit leadoff in his first two games back from the injured list, but after going 1-for-9 with a trio of strikeouts in those games, he'll drop to sixth in the order for a second straight game while Dexter Fowler mans the leadoff spot.

Goins went 5-for-8 with a triple, two RBI and a run scored across both games of a doubleheader Tuesday against the Tigers.

Goins had a big day at the dish, reaching base multiple times in both contests. He's served as the team's primary third baseman since Yoan Moncada (hamstring) hit the injured list on Aug. 1 and has been relatively productive, recording at least one hit in five of his seven starts. In a small sample this season with the big-league club, Goins has hit .333/.440/.540 across 76 plate appearances.