MLB Player News

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper received treatment on his knee Tuesday night, according to The Washington Post. 

Harper is not in the team's starting lineup Wednesday. Manager Davey Johnson admitted he would have to check on Harper more often. Harper has played consistently since he returned from the disabled list. He's hitting .264/.368/.505 in 220 at-bats. 

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper is not in the team's starting lineup Wednesday against the Pirates.

Harper will be replaced by Scott Hairston, who will leadoff and play left. Harper has started every day since the All-Star break, and is likely just receiving a day of rest. He's hitting .264/.368/.505 in 220 at-bats. 

Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna, who was recently optioned to Double-A Jacksonville, will have his left thumb examined for a possible injury that could land him on the disabled list, the Miami Herald reports. Ozuna hit .162 (11 for 68) through 17 July games before getting sent down. 

The Marlins optioned Derek Dietrich and Marcell Ozuna to Double-A Jacksonville after Monday's win at Colorado, the Palm Beach Post reports. The team will select the contracts of Christian Yelich and Jake Marisnick Tuesday. 

Dietrich, a 24-year-old second baseman, was batting just .214 over 215 at-bats for the Marlins. He had nine homers and 23 RBI with 56 strikeouts. 

The 22-year-old Ozuna, a right fielder, hit .265 over 275 at-bats with three homers and 32 RBI. 

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen hit two home runs in a 6-5 win at Washington Monday. McCutchen homered in the first and third innings and has 14 HRs.

He went 2 for 5 with two runs scored and four RBI. McCutchen is batting .307. 

The 26-year-old has gone 6 for 14 in his last three games with three homers and five RBI. He has four homers since the All-Star break. 

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton can't wait for his team to open a four-game series at Colorado Monday. Not only because the Marlins were shutout in all three games over the weekend against the Brewers, but because Stanton's power numbers could use a lift.

"Colorado always gives you a little boost the way the ball flies," he said, per The Miami Herald.

Stanton has homered 10 times in 54 games and is slugging .433. He has homered in six of seven career games at Coors Field. Stanton is batting .360 (9 for 25) with six home runs, 10 RBI and a 1.120 slugging percentage in his career at Colorado.

"It really hasn’t been there all year," Stanton said of his swing. "I’m not getting it done."

The Mets announced Monday infielder Justin Turner (intercostal strain) was activated off the 15-day disabled list. Turner hit .300 (9 for 30) with one RBI and three doubles in nine games on a rehab assignment at multiple levels in the minors.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen singled in the first, homered in the fourth, doubled in the seventh and singled in the ninth Saturday against the Reds.

His solo home run in the fourth was his third homer in his last four games. Eleven of his 12 homers have been solo shots. He finished 4 for 5 with a run and RBI in a 5-4 loss.

McCutchen is hitting .500 (8 of 16) with three homers and four RBI over his last four games. He has a .310/.383/.494 line with 12 homers and 51 RBI in 352 at-bats.

Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen went 1 for 3 with a walk and his 11th home run in his team's 5-3 loss to the Reds Friday. It was his third straight game with an extra-base hit after homering Saturday and doubling Sunday heading into the All-Star break.

McCutchen owns a .303/.378/.478 line with 11 home runs, 50 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 347 at-bats.

Mets first baseman Justin Turner is expected to rejoin the team from the disabled list Monday after he moved his rehab assignment to Class A Brooklyn Friday.

Turner appears ready to return, but manager Terry Collins told MLB.com he wanted to make sure the team had enough pitching depth to get through a weekend series against the Phillies.

"We wanted to protect ourselves first coming out of the break," Collins said. "We have run out of pitching so much. We've worn our bullpen down so bad."

Turner has been able to play full games in the field as part of his recovery from an intercostal strain that put him on the disabled list in the middle of June.