MLB Player News

Harper has dropped his appeal and will serve his one-game suspension in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Marlins, the Washington Post's Chelsea Janes reports.

This is as good a time as any for Harper to serve the suspension, as it will spare him from playing 18 innings Saturday. Chris Heisey will get the start in right field and hit seventh in his place. Make sure Harper is not in any daily lineups Saturday evening, but he should be safe to deploy Sunday.

Dickerson was optioned to Triple-A El Paso on Saturday.

The Padres recalled Leonel Campos from El Paso to take Dickerson's place. Dickerson mainly served a pinch-hitting role for the Padres and only started one game. He went 2-for-10 with one home run and four RBI before he was sent down.

Colon is in the starting lineup and batting eighth for Saturday's tilt with the Braves, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

Colon will replace Omar Infante at second base for the second game of a series with the Braves. He has collected a hit in each of the past six games he has started, going 8-for-21 during that time.

Brantley (shoulder inflammation) was placed on the 15-day DL on Saturday, WTAM 1100's Nick Camino reports.

The move can be backdated to May 10, as Brantley has missed the last three games with the shoulder ailment. This is obviously troubling, as Brantley had labrum surgery on his right shoulder in November and returned only to play 11 games before being sidelined again with shoulder trouble. The team has not released a timetable for Brantley's return to action. Michael Martinez was called up from Triple-A Columbus in a corresponding move. Martinez, 33, offers little fantasy upside, and Jose Ramirez will likely see the bulk of the action in left field while Brantley is out.

Harper was 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, and a two-run home run in the Nationals' win over Miami on Friday night.

Harper is hitting just .278, albeit with 11 home runs and 29 RBI on the season, but he sports a ridiculous .456 OBP as teams routinely pitch around him - he has walked 37 times in just 35 games. It's pretty easy to understand why, as his seventh-inning home run in this one broke a 2-2 tie and propelled the Nationals to a win.

McCutchen went 3-for-5 with a run scored and a two-run home run in a losing effort against the Cubs on Friday afternoon.

The home run, his eighth of the season, came with two outs in the ninth inning, proving to be too little, too late. However McCutchen, who got off to a very sluggish start, now has his average up to a steadily improving .261 and is showing clear signs of breaking out. An offensive explosion could very well be imminent for the extremely talented center fielder.

Canha is dealing with both a lower back strain and a left hip impingement, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports. He will seek a second opinion, but the hip injury could require surgery.

According to CSN California, Canha's hip issue is not related to his labrum, but it is still significant enough to where surgery is in the realm of possibility. If Canha ultimately undergoes hip surgery, his season would be over, which would leave the already embattled A's even thinner.

Goins is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Rangers.

Goins and Darwin Barwin continue to platoon at the second base position, with Barney drawing the starts against lefties. Southpaw Martin Perez is starting for Texas on Friday. There has been nothing to suggest Goins' role against righties is in danger in the short term, but he is struggling mightily (.438) and could be out of a job once Devon Travis (shoulder) is back up to full speed.

Brantley (shoulder) will be reexamined Friday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

He is out of the lineup again Friday, marking his third straight absence, and the exam will determine whether additional rest is needed or if Brantley can resume hitting. Manager Terry Francona said Friday that talk of a possible DL stint for Brantley is "premature." Brantley has gone 9-for-39 (.231 average) with two extra-base hits since his return late last month.

Winker, 22, is slashing .303/.405/.394 with two home runs and 17 RBI through 30 games for Triple-A Louisville.

Perhaps most impressively, Winker has more walks (20) than strikeouts (14). On the downside, his power has been almost non-existent after he hit 13 home runs in 123 games at Double-A last year, but there's still plenty of time for him to develop that aspect of his game.