MLB Player News

Ohtani allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five over 4.2 innings in Wednesday's loss against Cleveland but did not factor into the decision. He also went 1-for-3 as a hitter.

Ohtani allowed Cleveland to get on the board early with an RBI double in the first by Franmil Reyes. He later allowed a leadoff homer to Jake Bauers in the fifth and was eventually pulled following a two-out walk. A concerning observation was that his fastball velocity was down over five miles per hour during most of the game, although manager Joe Maddon assured afterward that nothing was wrong and Ohtani just "wasn't feeling his fastball." His five strikeouts were the fewest he's had in a start this season and he failed to last five innings for the first time since April 20. He still owns a solid 2.37 ERA and 45:22 K:BB over 30.1 innings but that has only led to one win in his first six outings. He should return to the mound again next week and will need to continue crushing at the plate in the meantime with Mike Trout (calf) out for the next 6-to-8 weeks.

Reyes went 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Angels.

Reyes opened up the scoring quickly with an RBI double in the first to give Cleveland an early 1-0 lead. He would later lead off the fourth with another two-base hit but nothing came of it. It was his first multi-hit game since May 3 as he raised his slash line to .259/.316/.568 with 10 home runs, 27 RBI, 20 runs scored and a stolen base. Even with that strong production, he's striking out a career-high 30.3 percent of the time and walking in a career-low 7.3 percent of his plate appearances.

Martinez went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 7-3 win over Toronto.

Martinez took Toronto starter Ross Stripling deep in the first inning. The homer was the designated hitter's first since May 5, a span of 12 games without a long ball. He's up to 11 homers, 34 RBI, 34 runs scored and 10 doubles across 183 plate appearances, and he's slashing .329/.404/.596 while occupying the No. 3 hole in Boston's order.

Soler went 1-for-3 with a solo home run Wednesday against the Brewers.

Soler launched a home run to lead off the seventh inning-- his fourth of the season. His power has been mysteriously missing for much of the season, as he has only a .161 ISO through 168 plate appearances, his lowest mark since 2017 when he earned only 110 plate appearances. Despite those struggles, Soler continues to hit in the middle of the Royals' order, which has allowed him to rack up 24 RBI across 42 games.

Pederson went 2-for-4 with a double and a walk in Wednesday's loss to the Nationals.

Pederson didn't come around to score in the 4-3 loss, but it was otherwise an effective night for the leadoff hitter. After a slow start to the season, including some missed time due to a wrist injury, the outfielder is batting an even .400 this month. Pederson may continue to sit against tough lefties, but it looks like he should produce good stats when he's in the lineup for the Cubs.

Choi went 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's win over the Orioles.

Choi entered the game as a pinch hitter in the top of the seventh and made his presence felt immediately, plating Kevin Kiermaier with an RBI single off Adam Plutko and adding another run-scoring hit off Paul Fry in the eighth. Choi has played just three games but has made a huge impact for Tampa Bay at the plate, going 6-for-10 with two extra-base hits, five RBI and four runs scored in that span.

McCutchen went 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk in Wednesday's loss against the Marlins.

The veteran centerfielder provided all the offense the Phillies would muster in this game when he took Trevor Rogers deep in the sixth inning. McCutchen is only hitting .222, but he's on an impressive streak of reaching base safely at least once in 14 straight contests, as he continues to make his presence felt at the top of the Phillies lineup. He's hitting .300 with a .444 on-base percentage during that 14-game span.

Cabrera is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Mariners, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

The veteran slugger has been heating up at the plate recently, recording multiple hits in five of his last 10 games. Even with the recent surge, however, Cabrera is still hitting just .184 on the season. Jonathan Schoop gets the start at first base with Wilson Ramos filling in as the designated hitter.

Dickerson isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds, Mark W. Sanchez of KNBR 680 San Francisco reports.

Dickerson will get a breather after he went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run and a double in Tuesday's win over the Reds. Mike Tauchman will shift to left field while Austin Slater starts in center field.

Belt (side) isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Reds, Mark W. Sanchez of KNBR 680 San Francisco reports.

Belt will be on the bench for a fifth straight game as he continues to deal with side tightness. Darin Ruf will start at first base and bat third.