MLB Player News

Manager Blake Butera said after Sunday's 4-2 loss to Atlanta that Garcia was scratched from the lineup after the skipper was informed that a trade was "really close," Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.

Butera noted that nothing is official and didn't mention a trade partner, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post indicates that the Yankees and Nationals are close to reaching a deal. Garcia has already clubbed a career-high 23 home runs this season, and his .873 OPS through 104 games would also be a career-best mark.

Chaparro was removed from Sunday's game against Atlanta after being struck in the head by a pitch, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.

The 27-year-old picked up an RBI the hard way when he was hit in the head by a pitch with the bases loaded during the third inning, and he was eventually pulled after initially staying in the game. Chaparro is presumably being evaluated for a concussion and should be considered day-to-day.

The Nationals scratched Garcia from the lineup for Sunday's game in Atlanta.

Garcia exited Friday's 6-2 loss due to a sore right knee before returning to the starting nine Saturday and going 1-for-4 with a double in a 8-3 loss. Per Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic, the Nationals haven't indicated that Garcia has dealt with any setback with his knee, and the 26-year-old will be available off the bench Sunday. With that in mind, Garcia is presumably just being held out of the starting nine as a precaution since his name has popped up in trade rumors as Monday's deadline approaches. Andres Chaparro will pick up the start at first base Sunday and will bat ninth.

The Pirates reinstated Horwitz (concussion/hamstring) from the 10-day injured list Sunday. He'll start at first base and bat fifth for the series finale in Cincinnati.

Horwitz had been on the shelf since June 25 after suffering a left hamstring strain, but he was expected to return from the IL earlier in the week after completing a three-game rehab assignment. However, he sustained a mild concussion in his final minor-league contest July 25, prompting the Pirates to delay his activation until he was no longer exhibiting any symptoms. Now fully cleared, Horwitz should settle back in as the everyday first baseman after slashing .280/.386/.455 with 10 home runs, 36 runs and 33 RBI in 74 games prior to landing on the IL.

Bauers went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 3-1 win over the Angels.

The blast was Bauers' 20th of the campaign, and this is the first season he's reached that mark. He has gone 11-for-25 (.440) with two homers and five RBI over his last seven games. Through 100 contests on the year, he's batting .269 with an .878 OPS, 64 RBI, 66 runs scored, 16 doubles, two triples and eight stolen bases. Bauers is currently playing through a fractured big toe on his right foot, but it doesn't appear that the injury will cost him much playing time.

Rumfield went 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBI in a 12-6 victory against Kansas City on Saturday.

All three of Rumfield's knocks were singles, but they came at opportune times, as each of the three hits drove in a run. The contact-hitting first baseman logged his ninth game of three or more hits this season and improved his batting average to .297, which ranks seventh best among qualified NL hitters. Rumfield has added 13 homers, 22 doubles, two triples, 48 runs and 57 RBI in what has been a strong rookie campaign.

Freeman went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Red Sox.

Freeman has logged three hits in five of the 11 games during his active hitting streak, a stretch in which he's batting .511 (23-for-45). The first baseman had produced only four three-hit performances prior to the end of June. His recent surge at the plate has him batting .310 with an .875 OPS, 15 home runs, 54 RBI, 57 runs scored and five stolen bases over 108 games.

Garcia (knee) will start at first base and bat second Saturday against Atlanta.

Garcia was forced to make an early exit from Friday's game due to right knee soreness, but the injury won't cause him to miss any starts. The 26-year-old is enjoying a career season and hasn't slowed down in the second half, slashing .280/.294/.600 with three homers, eight RBI and three runs scored in 13 games since the break.

The Pirates placed O'Hearn on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a left quad strain, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

O'Hearn had to be helped off the field Friday after tweaking his quad while running to first base, and he's expected to remain on the shelf for roughly 6-to-8 weeks after being diagnosed with a strain. His initial timeline leaves room for him to return during the final weeks of the regular season, but the Pirates could elect to keep him out for the rest of the year depending on where they sit in the race for a postseason berth. Until then, Jacob Gonzalez figures to see more time at first base, while Rafael Flores (concussion) will come off the IL to fill the open roster spot.

Chaparro went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Friday's loss to Atlanta.

The 27-year-old replaced Luis Garcia (knee) in the seventh inning and took Elieser Hernandez deep in the ninth. Chaparro is up to six homers in the majors this season, and five of them have come in 10 games since the All-Star break, a stretch in which he's batting .360 (9-for-25) with two doubles, eight runs and 13 RBI. Garcia's name was already showing up in trade rumors, and if he's removed from the picture at first base either due to injury or being dealt, Chaparro could get more consistent playing time over the final weeks of the season.