MLB Player News

With Ryan Howard sidelined, the Phillies will turn to Darin Ruf at first base.

Ruf is in the team's starting lineup Monday, and will hit seventh against Nationals pitcher Dan Haren. This marks Ruf's second straight start at first base. He's collected two hits in four at-bats in the majors. 

Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon will join the team in San Diego, according to the Denver Post. 

Blackmon will likely replace Roy Oswalt, who is expected to hit the disabled list Monday. Blackmon's addition leaves the team without a starter Friday, so another move could be coming in the next few days. Blackmon hit .240 in 25 at-bats in the majors. He is hitting .288/.376/.428 in 257 at-bats in Triple-A Colorado Springs. 

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper had three hits in Sunday's game against the Padres.

Harper came into the contest with just two hits in six games since returning from the disabled list. Harper singled three times, and drew a walk, putting him on base four times. He finished with two runs scored and one RBI. 

Harper is hitting .274/.375/.549 in 175 at-bats. 

Dodgers outfield prospect Joc Pederson has been sidelined with a strained oblique, according to The Los Angeles Times. Pederson is hitting .299 with 19 doubles, 14 homers, 60 runs and 38 RBI in 301 at-bats at Double-A. He has not played since Wednesday and is listed as day-to-day.

Phillies slugger Darin Ruf started at first base Sunday against the Braves in his second game since being recalled Saturday after first baseman Ryan Howard (knee) went on the disabled list. Manager Charlie Manuel said he will use Ruf at first base and in the outfield.

Ruf opened the year in the minors after a disappointing spring training. He hit just .266 with a .408 slugging percentage and seven home runs in 82 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but Ruf said his poor numbers were combination of working on his swing and battling a thumb injury, which he said is 100 percent healed.

"I just put too much pressure on myself or something or other," Ruf said of his spring, per MLB.com. "I just settled in as time went on. It was still early, starting a couple of weeks earlier than I was used to. It took me a little bit longer to get back into the swing of things. I'm happy with the way I finished and the progress I made."

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper pressured his way into the lineup Saturday when manager Davey Johnson wanted to give him a day off, and he ended up making a big impact.

Harper went just 1 for 2 in the game, but he drove in three runs. He drove in one on a walk, another on a single and his third on a sacrifice fly in the seventh that tied the game. The Nationals went on to win the game, 5-4.

Harper entered the game just 1 for 19 since coming off the disabled list, which was why Johnson wanted to give him time off. Harper was voted into the All-Star game as a start Saturday, with a .263 batting average and .908 OPS on the season. 

The Phillies recalled outfielder Darin Ruf from Triple-A Lehigh Valle Saturday, to take Ryan Howard's place on the active roster.

Ruf was hitting .266 with a .752 OPS and seven home runs for Lehigh Valley prior to his call up.  

Nationals manager Davey Johnson was planning on sitting outfielder Bryce Harper for the final two games of the weekend series with the Padres, but Harper made it known that he was not pleased with this plan.

Harper sent Johnson a text message and then spoke with him prior to Saturday's game and Johnson ultimately relented, putting Harper in left field and third in the lineup. The message Harper sent Johnson, jokingly?

"Play me or trade me."

"Since a trade is out of the question, I decided to play him," Johnson told reporters with a smile.

It is not yet clear if Harper will get his way yet again if Johnson wants to give him Sunday off. 

Nationals manager Davey Johnson indicated Friday that outfielder Bryce Harper will likely be out of the starting lineup against the Padres Saturday and Sunday, MLB.com reports.

"I'll probably give Harper a couple days off," Johnson told MLB.com. "I think he's just fighting himself ... He's just … coming back from the long layoff, I think [he] hadn't had much break when he came back. I just need to back off him a little bit."

Harper went 0 for 4 against the Padres Friday, making him 0 for 15 over his last four games after hitting a home run in his return on July 1.

Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna snapped out of a mini-slump Thursday, as he had a huge game in a 4-3 win over the Braves.

Ozuna went 3 for 5 in the game, with his third home run of the season. Ozuna drove in another run with an RBI single, finishing the game with two RBI. He also stole one base, his fifth of the season.

Ozuna is now hitting .293 with a .750 OPS, three home runs and 29 RBI in 225 at-bats.