MLB Player News

Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna stayed hot going 2 for 4 in a loss Sunday to the White Sox.

Ozuna's hits were singles, but he scored a run and had an RBI. Ozuna is hitting .304 through 92 at-bats, but has struck out 22 times, including once Sunday. It will be difficult for Ozuna to keep hitting for such a high average if he doesn't start making more contact.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was pulled for a pinch runner in Sunday's game against Philadelphia due to a knee injury, MASN reports.

Harper limped down to first base after a seventh-inning walk on the same left knee that has been bothering him of late. It doesn't look good for his chances to play Monday. Consider him day to day.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt (back) returned to the starting lineup Friday against the Rockies.

Belt singled in the second and drew a walk in the ninth as he finished 1 for 3 in a 5-0 defeat.

Belt is hitting .300 (6 for 20) with one home run and one RBI in his last six games. He has a .253/.323/.432 slash line in 146 at-bats.

The Phillies had an open roster spot with Chase Utley on the disabled list Thursday, but a poorly timed slump cost Darin Ruf a chance to get back to the majors. Ruf is hitting .103 over the last seven games heading into play Friday.

The fact that Ruf can only play in the outfield or first base also hurt his chances.

"I think the better fit was someone who could play all over the field," assistant GM Scott Proefrock told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "We’ve got two (interleague) games. It would be hard to find (Ruf) a place to play, and it probably wouldn’t be the right fit."

Ruf has a .772 on-base plus slugging percent at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, with a .262 batting average, a career-worst mark. 

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt was back in the starting lineup as expected Friday against the Rockies. Belt was held out of the starting lineup for the team's previous game Wednesday against the Nationals but appeared later in the game as a pinch-hitter. 

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen put together his fifth multi-hit game in the last six Thursday against the Cubs as he continues to pound the ball.

McCutchen went 3 for 4 with two runs driven in and one run scored, in a 4-2 win. All three of his hits were singles, but he added a pair of stolen bases, giving him 12 on the season on 13 attempts.

McCutchen has batting .462 over the last six days, raising his batting average from .260 to .291. 

With a .304 batting average in his first 79 at-bats, the Marlins have to be pleased with Marcell Ozuna's first month in the majors. Even with a potentially crowded outfield in the next few weeks, the Marlins seem committed to keeping the 22-year-old in the majors as long as he can hack it, regardless of any arbitration-related issues.

"If [Ozuna] wants to make the decision difficult for us, have at it," 'President of Baseball Operations  Larry Beinfest told the Sun-Sentinel Thursday. "If you're productive and doing the job, I don't see any reason why people can't stay. Now, people are going to say, 'Well, he's going to be Super Two.' Sure, we look at all that. I'm not going to say we don't because it matters. The other 29 teams do as well. If a player is doing it, he's going to make the decision tough for you.

Ozuna is currently playing right field, the position that injured slugger Giancarlo Stanton will fill when he gets healthy. With top prospect Christian Yelich pushing for a promotion from Double-A Jacksonville, the Marlins will have a crowded outfield on their hands sometime in June. According to two scouts, the Marlins' best defensive alignment in the outfield would include Ozuna in center field, a position he has yet to man in the majors after 38 games in the minors. 

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton took part in batting practice Wednesday for the first time since going on the disabled list. He took swings before the game, but it is not clear how extensive his participation was. He hopes to begin running next week as he continues to recover from a strained hamstring. 

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper homered Wednesday against the Giants for the first time since missing time with a bruised left knee.

Harper went the other way with a solo home run in the sixth inning to open the scoring. He added a double in the 10th and came around to score the winning run in a 2-1 game.

Harper went 2 for 5 with an RBI and two runs scored. He struck out once. He's hitting .288 with 12 home runs, 23 RBI and a .994 on-base plus slugging percentage. 

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt was unable to start Wednesday against the Nationals with tightness in his back, but he appeared as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning. He made the final  out of the inning and finished the game at first base.

The Giants are off Thursday, so Belt could be back in the lineup Friday against the Rockies.