MLB Player News

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt had a terrible performance during Monday's 16-inning loss to the Mets. Belt was hitless in eight at-bats and struck out five times.

Belt is the first San Francisco player since Jose Uribe in 1985 to go 0 for 8, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. He is also the third Giants player to strike out five times, following Steve Whitaker in 1970 and Glenallen Hill in 1995.

Belt has struck out 11 times in his last five games and is batting .174 (4 for 23) in six July games.

The participants in the 2013 Home Run Derby were announced Monday, with Rockies outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer joining Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper and Mets third baseman and NL captain David Wright on the National League squad.

Gonzalez, who is suffering from a finger sprain, leads the National League with 24 home runs heading into Monday's action. Cuddyer is tied for ninth with 15 home runs, while Harper, who missed part of May and all of June due to injury, has 13 home runs, matching Wright's total.

The Rockies recalled outfielder Charlie Blackmon Monday to take the 25-man roster spot of pitcher Roy Oswalt, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list.

Blackmon played in 12 games with the Rockies in May, hitting .240/.269/.360 with one home run, two RBI and one stolen base in 25 at-bats. He has hit .288/.376/.428 with three home runs, 40 RBI and seven stolen bases in 257 at-bats with Triple-A Colorado Springs.

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.