MLB Player News

Harper went 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's 11-5 win over the Athletics.

Harper's solo home run in the seventh inning marked a personal milestone, as he has now homered against all 30 major-league organizations. He also walked twice and added a two-run double in his best effort since returning from the injured list July 9. With one game to go before the break, the National League's starting first baseman in the upcoming All-Star Game is batting .303 with 21 home runs, 61 RBI, 55 runs and four steals across 354 plate appearances.

Burger went 4-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's 10-6 loss to the Reds.

Burger and Josh Bell went back-to-back against lefty Andrew Abbott in the third inning. It was Burger's 10th home run this season, and he would go on to add three singles in his next three plate appearances. The 28-year-old Burger is batting just .225 with a .633 OPS this season, but his power and locked-in playing time keep him relevant.

Bell went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, a home run and one additional RBI in Saturday's 10-6 loss to the Reds.

The homer was Bell's first since June 21 and his ninth this season. He's had a disappointing first half with a .230/.292/.360 slash line through 93 games. Bell's strikeout rate isn't far off from his career norm, but the power metrics have cratered and he's not walking as much. The 31-year-old impending free agent will presumably be shipped out of Miami at the trade deadline.

Phillips (1-0) earned the win against the Athletics on Saturday, allowing four runs on six hits and no walks with five strikeouts over six innings.

Phillips allowed two runs over his first six innings but stumbled in the seventh, yielding two more runs without recording an out. He threw an impressive 51 strikes on 79 pitches with 11 whiffs and pitched well enough to secure the first win of his career. It remains to be seen what the rookie's role will be after the All-Star break, but he has a good shot to stay in the mix until either Taijuan Walker (finger) or Spencer Turnbull (lat) returns from the injured list.

Cabrera (1-3) took the loss to the Reds on Saturday after allowing seven runs on six hits -- including four home runs -- over 3.1 innings. He struck out seven without issuing a walk.

Spencer Steer, Rece Hinds, Elly De La Cruz and Jeimer Candelario all went yard against Cabrera in a nine-batter span. If there's a silver lining, it's the 7:0 K:BB and the fact that Cabrera induced 10 whiffs on 63 pitches. Still, he now has an 8.26 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in seven starts this season, with nine earned runs allowed over seven innings in two starts since his return from a shoulder injury. He has strikeout upside but is an extremely risky play in fantasy.

Abbott allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out four over 3.1 innings in a no-decision against the Marlins on Saturday.

The Cincinnati offense provided 10 runs of support (seven against opposing starter Edward Cabrera), but Abbott couldn't take advantage in what looked like a highly favorable matchup on paper. Abbott allowed a pair of homers and induced a modest eight swings and misses on 78 pitches. It was a disappointing way to end his first half after he'd posted a 2.70 ERA over his previous seven starts, and there may be more regression ahead, but regardless the 25-year-old lefty is locked into a rotation spot for the Reds.

The Nationals are expected to call up Willingham from Triple-A Rochester on Sunday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

A 26-man roster spot opened up Saturday when Washington traded reliever Hunter Harvey to Kansas City in exchange for a minor-league infielder, and Willingham looks set to fill the vacancy in the bullpen. Although Harvey worked as a setup man, Willingham isn't likely to handle high-leverage work considering that he's logged a 4.54 ERA across 39.2 innings for Rochester this season.

Finnegan earned the save Saturday against the Brewers with one walk in a scoreless ninth inning. He didn't allow a hit and struck out one.

Washington rallied to turn a one-run deficit into a one-run lead in the top of ninth inning, and Finnegan worked around a one-out walk in the bottom of the frame to record his 25th save of the campaign. The right-hander has blown only four chances and is closing in on the career-high 28 saves he tallied last year. With just one more game before the All-Star break, Finnegan has a 2.45 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 42:13 K:BB over 39.1 innings.

De La Cruz went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's win over the Marlins.

The Reds teed off on Edward Cabrera and the Miami bullpen for six combined homers, and De La Cruz got in on the fun with a long ball to the batter's eye in the third inning. De La Cruz has been managing a hand issue recently, but it hasn't cost him playing time -- his absence Thursday was said to be unrelated -- nor has it affected his performance. De La Cruz is a first-time All-Star and he's been a top-10 fantasy player so far this season on account of his .255/.345/.476 slash line, 16 homers, 41 RBI, 63 runs and 46 steals through 95 games.

Abrams went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 6-5 win at Milwaukee.

The 23-year-old entered the contest in a 1-for-19 slump and started off 0-for-4 on Saturday, but he erased a one-run deficit in the ninth inning with a two-run homer off Brewers closer Trevor Megill. Abrams is batting just .183 through 13 games in July, but he still has a .269/.344/.486 slash line for the season to go along with 15 home runs, 48 RBI and 15 steals.