MLB Player News

Pederson is not in the lineup Saturday against the Padres as he's battling a knee bruise, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Pederson suffered the injury when fouling a ball off his knee in Friday's contest. That explains why he's sitting against a righty, though he's potentially available off the bench. The Dodgers face a lefty Sunday and get an off day Monday, so he could have a few extra days to rest before potentially returning Tuesday against the Rangers.

Pederson is on the bench for the second game in a row Saturday against the Padres, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Pederson's absence Friday made sense, as the Dodgers faced left-hander Clayton Richard, but he'll sit again Saturday despite the Dodgers squaring off against righty Brett Kennedy. The Padres will throw another lefty, Robbie Erlin, on Sunday, so Pederson could sit for all three games of the series. Cody Bellinger will start in center field Saturday.

Choi went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, a stolen base and three runs in a win over the Red Sox on Friday.

Choi was outstanding while hitting out of the heart of the lineup, extending what has been an impressive stretch of hot hitting. The 27-year-old has now hit safely in 10 straight starts, boosting his season average a full 50 points to .263 in the process. Choi continues to enjoy regular playing time, and his current .263/.341/.474 line that's partly comprised of seven extra-base hits (five doubles, two home runs) and six RBI is indicative of the well-rounded production he's offering.

Martinez is not expected to be in the lineup Saturday, Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports.

Martinez might be due for a day off, as he's played 27 consecutive games. There's nothing about his performance, however, to suggest he needs a break. Martinez has a 1.160 OPS with seven home runs and 25 RBI since his last day off.

Blackmon went 2-for-4 with a walk and a two-run homer in Friday's loss to the Cardinals.

He connected for a two-run shot -- his 23rd of the year -- off starter Miles Mikolas in the fifth inning. Blackmon has had multi-hit performances in three of his last four games but is hitting just .224 with two homers and six RBI in August. The 32-year-old has just 55 RBI on the year but ranks fourth in the majors with 93 runs.

McCutchen went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases in the Giants' 7-6 extra-inning loss to the Rangers on Friday.

The veteran outfielder stuffed the stat sheet, cranking his 15th homer and swiping his 12th and 13th bags of the season from atop the order. He hasn't produced at the level of his All-Star years this season, but McCutchen has managed to put together a solid campaign after a slow start, as he's now slashing .255/.354/.415 through 467 at-bats.

Turner went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and three RBI to help the Dodgers to an 11-1 win over the Padres on Friday.

Turner was right in the middle of the proceedings on a huge day for the Dodgers lineup, doing his part to help the cause with a fourth-inning two-run blast off Clayton Richard for his 10th long ball of the season. The 33-year-old has been red hot lately and he's now hitting an even .300 to go along with a robust .888 OPS over 240 at-bats.

Ohtani (elbow) will toss a bullpen session Friday, and he's slated to pitch a simulated game sometime next week, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic Los Angeles reports.

Ohtani threw a successful simulated game Monday as he continues to rehab from a UCL sprain. If he manages to complete both throwing sessions without issue, expect Ohtani to toss a longer sim game or embark on a minor-league rehab stint in the near future.

Ohtani isn't in Friday's starting lineup against the Astros, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Ohtani will get another day to rest as he was out of the lineup Wednesday and the team had a scheduled day off Thursday. Albert Pujols is slated to serve as the designated hitter with Ohtani on the bench.

Pederson is not in the lineup versus San Diego on Friday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Pederson will head to the bench with left-hander Clayton Richard pitching for the Padres. Chris Taylor is set to roam center field and bat fifth in his place.