MLB Player News

Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper ended the month of April in style, cranking out a bases-clearing double in Thursday's 8-2 win over the Mets at Citi Field. Harper, who is not a stranger to fast starts, closed the month leading the Nationals in home runs (five), RBI (15), runs scored (18) and on-base percentage (.440).

"Hopefully, I keep going. That's all I want to do," Harper said, per MLB.com. "I just want to stay in the lineup, stay healthy all year and hopefully play 150, 160 games. That's all I care about. As long as we are winning ballgames, it's huge for us. I love playing in April. I don't know why. I'm very comfortable in April. Hopefully, I can feel comfortable the next five months, too."

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter was the team's leadoff man for 329 straight starts in the last three seasons. He revealed that manager Mike Matheny approached him earlier in the week and brought up to the idea of moving him to the No. 2 spot moving forward, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

"He didn't actually mention putting me there," Carpenter said. "He just said I would fit that hole well, but that 'we don't want to move you out of that leadoff spot.'

"The very next day, he decided to go with it."

Since taking over the second spot in the batting order on Tuesday, Carpenter has hit .364 (4 for 11) with two doubles, a triple and three RBI in three games.

"I'm a fan of it," Carpenter said. "I think it worked this week and I think it's going to continue to work."

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller committed two errors earlier this week on wild throws and was perhaps saved by first baseman Logan Morrison by one or two more, but neither he nor manager Lloyd McClendon are too worried about the shortstop's shaky throws, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.

"I just had two throws that were a little shaky," Miller said, "but that’s how it works. You’re not going to be perfect every time. It’s nothing too extreme. Obviously, you want to make accurate throws, but you’ve just go to keep making plays. I made every play the next day. You just kind of keep going. You can’t get too worked up."

McClendon didn't dismiss Miller's issues completely but didn't see any major reasons for concern.

"It’s just footwork," McClendon said. "He’s got a good arm. I think, at times, he just forgets his footwork. He’s got to continue to work on it. I think he’s going to be fine because everything is correctable."

Miller was able to make a fine defensive play in the seventh inning of Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Astros. He went 0 for 1 with two walks at the plate and has hit .277/.333/.400 with one home run, seven RBI and three stolen bases in 65 at-bats.

Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper went 2 for 4 with one walk, two doubles and three RBI in his team's 8-2 win over the Mets Thursday.

Harper collected all three of his RBI with a bases-loaded double in the ninth inning, adding three insurance runs on the board and taking the Nationals out of a potential save situation. He's now hit .286/.440/.545 with five home runs and 15 RBI in 77 at-bats.

Athletics left fielder Mark Canha went 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBI in his team's 6-5 loss to the Angels Thursday.

Cahna's two-run homer in the seventh inning was his team's only extra-base hit of the game and started Oakland's climb back from a 6-0 deficit. They were able to rally for three runs in the ninth, including one on an RBI single by Canha, but saw the game end on a leaping play by Angels center field Mike Trout with the bases loaded.

Canha has slowed down considerably after a hot first week, but Thursday's performance was a big step back in the right direction. He has hit .279/.329/.412 with two home runs, 10 RBI and two stolen bases in 68 at-bats.

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter collected two hits and scored three runs during Thursday's 9-3 win over the Phillies.

Carpenter went 2 for 3 during the game with two walks. He also drove in one run and is batting .372. Carpenter has multiple hits in three of his last four games.

Phillies left fielder Darin Ruf smacked his second home run of the season during Thursday's 9-3 loss to the Cardinals.

Ruf connected off pitcher Tim Cooney in the third inning for a solo home run. He finished the game 2 for 3 with one walk and one strike out.

Perhaps unsurpisingly, Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar was not in the starting lineup on Thursday against the Tigers. Escobar left Wednesday's game against the Indians after being hit by a pitch in the face and has been diagnosed with a left cheek contusion.

Christian Colon made the start at shortstop on Thursday. Colon has had limited playing time in 2015 and is hitting .269 (7 for 26) with a double and a stolen base.

Left fielder Alex Gordon will move up to the leadoff spot in the lineup for the first time this season. Escobar has been the Royals' leadoff hitter in all but two games in 2015. Gordon is currently ranked ninth in the American League with a .413 on-base percentage. 

Escobar is hoping to return to the Royals lineup on Friday or Saturday, according to the Kansas City Star

Athletics left fielder Mark Canha will return to the starting lineup and bat seventh Thursday afternoon against the Angels. Canha was sidelined since Friday after he was held without a hit over his last nine at-bats. He is hitting .250 (16 for 64) with one home run and seven RBI in 16 games.

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley received a day of rest Thursday afternoon against the Cardinals. Utley has gotten off to an ice-cold start this season, hitting .114 (8 for 70) with two homers, 11 RBI and one stolen base in 21 games.

The team will have Darin Ruf bat third for only the second time in his career, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Ruf has not been in the starting lineup since April 23. He is hitting .139 (5 for 36) to start the season.

Philadelphia is considered an underdog (+160) at St. Louis, per VegasInsider.com.