MLB Player News

Stanton (hamstring) took on-field batting practice against a pitching machine Friday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Stanton is on track to begin a minor-league rehab assignment early next week and could return to the Yankees' active roster during their three-game weekend series at Dodger Stadium that runs from June 2-4. The 33-year-old slugger had four home runs and 11 RBI through 13 games with New York when he suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain in mid-April.

Ramirez isn't in Tampa Bay's lineup for Friday's game against the Dodgers, Kristie Ackert of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Ramirez has been great at the plate all season but is currently in the middle of an 0-for-12 stretch across his last three games. He'll get the day off to regroup while Josh Lowe fills in as the Rays' DH, allowing Luke Raley to start in right field and bat eighth.

Harper went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run in Thursday's loss to Atlanta.

Harper smashed a big 445-foot solo blast in the fifth inning to tie the score 4-4. It snapped a 10-game skid without a long ball for the slugger and marked just his second RBI over his past 11 contests. Despite the recent lack of production, Harper has put up an excellent .347/.437/.547 slash line on the campaign.

Ozuna went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double, a walk and three total runs in an 8-5 win against the Phillies on Thursday.

Ozuna took Aaron Nola deep in the second inning for his 10th homer of the campaign. Eight of those have come over his past 17 contests, a stretch during which he is batting .333 (21-for-63) with 19 RBI. Ozuna was nearly unplayable early in the season, but he's turned things around in May, tying for fourth in the league with eight homers on the month so far.

Manager Aaron Boone said Thursday he's hoping Stanton (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment early next week, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Stanton was expected to begin a rehab assignment this weekend, though he isn't quite ready to take the final step in his recovery. At this point, his timeline to return appears to have been pushed back by only a few days.

Soler went 3-for-5 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's loss against the Rockies.

Soler cut the Marlins' deficit to 6-4 with a two-run shot off Pierce Johnson in the ninth inning, his 15th homer of the season. The three-hit performance was Soler's fourth multi-hit effort in his last five games, and he's gone 11-for-23 with four homers and eight RBI in that span. With his recent torrid stretch, Soler is slashing .261/.337/.560 with 32 RBI and 29 runs scored through 205 plate appearances this season.

Winker isn't in the Brewers' lineup Thursday against the Giants.

The Giants will open the game with southpaw Scott Alexander before turning it over to their bullpen, so Winker will start Thursday's contest in the dugout. Darin Ruf will fill in as Milwaukee's designated hitter and bat second.

Vientos is out of the starting lineup again Thursday versus the Cubs.

Vientos has now started only four of a possible eight games since his May 17 promotion from Triple-A Syracuse. Daniel Vogelbach will handle DH duties and bat seventh Thursday against the Cubs and right-hander Kyle Hendricks. Brett Baty is at third base and batting fifth.

Blackmon is not in the lineup Thursday against the Marlins.

Blackmon tripled, drew a walk and scored a run in Wednesday night's loss to Miami. Elias Diaz will get a turn as the DH and bat third with left-hander Braxton Garrett on the mound for the Marlins in Thursday's matinee. Austin Wynns is catching and hitting ninth.

Ozuna went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in a 4-3 win against the Dodgers on Wednesday.

With the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Ozuna launched a monstrous 452-foot, two-run shot to center field. It was his ninth long ball of the season, seven of which have come since May 3. After hitting a miserable .085 though the end of April, Ozuna has turned things around with a huge month of May during which he is batting .328 (21-for-64) with seven homers, 18 RBI and 12 runs scored through 17 contests.