MLB Player News

Bell was scratched from Thursday's lineup with right side soreness and will get an MRI, Maria Torres of The Athletic reports.

Bell was both scratched and held out of batting practice due to the discomfort. It's unclear if the injury will cause him to be placed on the injured list, though the results of the MRI should provide clarity to the situation. If Bell remains sidelined, Ryan Zimmerman figures to get the majority of playing time at first base.

Bell was scratched from Thursday's lineup for undisclosed reasons, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

Bell was penciled in to start at first base and bat cleanup for the Nationals, but he didn't take batting practice and has now been removed from the lineup. He appears to be dealing with an injury, though the specifics remain unclear. Ryan Zimmerman has replaced him in the lineup for Washington.

Freeman went 4-for-4 with a walk in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to the Mets.

All four hits were singles, and Freeman only made it to second base once as the hitters behind him in the order (Ozzie Albies and Abraham Almonte) went a combined 0-for-8 with nine LOB. The performance snapped an 0-for-11 skid for the first baseman, but overall Freeman has put together a decent June, slashing .286/.358/.452 with four homers, two steals, 11 RBI and 14 runs in 22 games.

Cronenworth went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, double, an additional run and a strikeout in a 5-3 victory against the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Cronenworth went back-to-back with Manny Machado in the first off Trevor Bauer and later scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning after doubling. This was Cronenworth's third straight game with a home run and fourth in his last five games to bring his total to 11. The infielder extended his hitting streak to nine games in the process.

Walker went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to Milwaukee.

The first baseman's seventh-inning solo shot accounted for the only run Arizona could muster off Milwaukee ace Brandon Woodruff. Walker has homered just twice in 21 games in June while batting .191 (13-for-68) this month. He has three long balls, 17 RBI, 19 runs scored and a disappointing .197/.243/.310 slash line through 152 plate appearances this year.

Bohm went 4-for-5 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored in Wednesday's 13-12 loss to the Nationals.

With his first career four-hit game, Bohm is now hitting .396 in his last 13 games. His average, now .244, remains less than impressive, but this recent stretch of success has Bohm looking more like the player who hit .338 in 2020.

Bell went 2-for-4 with a homer, four RBI, two runs and a walk in Wednesday's 13-12 win over the Phillies.

With the Nats trailing by two in the sixth, Bell launched an opposite-field grand slam to give Washington the lead. Highlighted by a .228 average, the switch hitter's offensive struggles are well documented, but he has hit .333 with eight RBI in his last six games, hinting at a possible midseason turnaround for Bell. The 28-year-old has done the majority of his damage from the left-handed batter's box, hitting .253 with eight of his 10 homers and 26 of his 32 RBI from that side.

Cooper (back) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville on Wednesday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Cooper has been sidelined since June 9 due to a lumbar strain, but he began hitting off a tee Friday and will now return to game action. It's not yet clear how many rehab games the 30-year-old could require, but his time with Triple-A Jacksonville will likely be the final step in his recovery process. Cooper served as a short-side platoon option prior to his absence, but he could see a slight uptick in at-bats once he's cleared to return since Corey Dickerson (foot) is on the injured list.

Cooper (back) is expected to head out on a minor-league rehab assignment later this week, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

The Marlins will presumably have Cooper head to Triple-A Jacksonville for the weekend to regain his timing at the plate after he was placed on the injured list June 9 with a lumbar strain. Before getting hurt, Cooper had been serving as a short-side platoon option at first base or in the corner outfield, but he could have a clearer path to regular at-bats once he returns from the IL. Corey Dickerson has since been placed on the IL with a foot injury that will likely keep him on the shelf until after the All-Star break, leaving Jesus Sanchez as the top option in left field for the time being.

Flores isn't in Wednesday's lineup against the Angels due to hamstring tightness, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Flores had hit three home runs across the last two games, but he was removed from Tuesday's win over the Angels early. Manager Gabe Kapler revealed that the 29-year-old's removal was due to a hamstring issue. While Kapler said that Flores could likely play, he'll be held out ahead of Thursday's scheduled off day as a precautionary measure. He should be considered day-to-day for now, but the Giants are hopeful that he'll be able to return for Friday's series opener against the Athletics.