MLB Player News

Turner (heel) is out of the lineup again Friday versus the Tigers.

Turner hasn't appeared in a game since Monday due to lingering discomfort related to a bone bruise in his left heel. He acknowledged this week that he'll likely have to play through pain down the stretch, which suggests he will face future shutdowns even after he returns. Pablo Reyes is covering second base Friday and Masataka Yoshida will serve as Boston's designated hitter.

Harper was removed from Thursday's game against the Nationals due to back spasms, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Harper was hit in the face by a ball that took a strange bounce off first base in the fourth inning, but his removal in the fifth was seemingly unrelated. The Phillies will take a closer look at Harper and should provide more updates in the near future, but for now he should be considered day-to-day.

Madris was outrighted Thursday to Triple-A Sugar Land, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Madris passed through waivers unclaimed after being designated for assignment by the Astros on Tuesday. The 27-year-old outfielder is a career .173/.248/.252 hitter in 51 games (153 plate appearances) at the major-league level.

Turner (heel) remains out of the lineup for Thursday's tilt against the Royals.

Turner has now sat out three straight games and six of the last nine contests due to a left heel bone bruise suffered back on July 31. It's an injury that often requires a multi-week absence, although Turner plans to play through it and could be back in the lineup as soon as Friday. Trevor Story will be the designated hitter again Thursday as Pablo Reyes handles shortstop.

Turner told Alex Speier of the Boston Globe on Wednesday that the left heel bone bruise he's dealing with typically requires 4-6 weeks of downtime, but he plans to play through the injury.

"It's an interesting one," Turner said. "It's a bone bruise. There's no real remedy for a bone bruise. You ask a medical person, they'll tell you 4-6 weeks avoiding impact. Obviously I don't have that luxury. So, trying to calm it down and get it as under control as I can and then try to go again and not piss it off. You don't really have a lot of options." Turner injured the heel back on July 31 and has started just three of eight games since, including sitting out each of Boston's last two contests. He could return to the lineup as soon as Thursday and plans to avoid the injured list, but it's certainly an injury that could affect Turner's production even if he does manage to play through it.

Cabrera is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Twins.

Cabrera has quietly hit .321 since the All-Star break, but he's largely been a one-category fantasy contributor, as he's complemented the lofty batting average with no home runs or stolen bases and just four runs and three RBI in 16 games. He'll hit the bench for Thursday's matinee game, but Cabrera appears to have moved back into a near-everyday role as he approaches the finish line in his last season in the big leagues. Cabrera had started in 10 of Detroit's previous 12 games.

McCutchen is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game against Atlanta, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

It looks to be a routine day off for the veteran. Bryan Reynolds is getting a start in the designated hitter spot, with Josh Palacios handling left field.

Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Marlins.

Encarnacion-Strand propelled the Reds to a lead in the fourth inning with a two-run homer, then extended the lead with run-producing single in the sixth. However, Cincinnati's bullpen coughed up four runs in the final two innings. It was the second home run in three games for Encarnacion-Strand, who is 12-for-37 (.324) over the last 10 contests.

Stanton went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in a loss to the White Sox on Wednesday.

Stanton produced both Yankees runs in the contest, driving in Aaron Judge with an RBI groundout in the fourth inning and belting a solo shot in the seventh. The long ball was the slugger's fourth through nine games in August and pushed his season total to 18. Despite the recent power surge, Stanton remains on pace for career-low marks in batting average (.204) and OBP (.278).

Ohtani improved to 10-5 after allowing an unearned run on three hits and three walks while striking out five over six innings in Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Giants. He also went 0-for-2 at the plate with two walks and a run scored.

Ohtani has allowed just the one unearned run over 19 innings across his last three starts as a pitcher. The impressive start lowered his ERA to 3.17 with a 1.06 WHIP and 165:54 K:BB through 130.2 innings. The two-way star's next turn on the mound is expected to come next week on the road versus the Rangers.