MLB Player News

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen was back on the field Tuesday against the Cubs, after missing the team's previous game with a right knee injury.

McCutchen went 0 for 4 in the game, snapping a streak of three multi-hit games. He accrued no other stats in a 5-4 win. He is batting .274 with a .798 on-base plus slugging percentage in 164 at-bats. 

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt has continued to sit against occasional lefties, holding back his point total in Head-to-Head leagues, but if he keeps hitting like he has over his last 26 games, producing a .321 (25 for 78) batting average, six home runs, 10 walks and a 1.020 OPS, he'll entrench himself as an everyday player once and for all.

And Fantasy stardom may follow.

Is it really so far-fetched? We've been waiting for this guy to step up his power production for a couple of years now. In that 26-game stretch, he has nearly as many home runs as he hit in 145 games last year. And that's after ranking among the league leaders in home runs this spring. If that's not stepping it up, I don't know what is.

Not that I think Belt is going to hit 30 home runs or compete for NL MVP. But if you're still messing around with Todd Frazier or Paul Konerko at DH, it's time to upgrade.

The Phillies' struggles offensively have been well-documented and Ruben Amaro Jr. told The Philadelphia Inquirer Tuesday he's looked into ways to improve the lineup. However, he said he doesn't feel Darin Ruf, who was competing for a starting job in the outfield, is the solution to bolster a struggling lineup.

"(Darin) Ruf has done well, although he’s coming off a little bit of a slump lately," Amaro said. "Ruf has done OK, but he still needs work in the outfield. While he’s done OK offensively, I’m not sure he’s better than the options we have."

Although, Amaro said Ruf is probably the top option at first base in case something long-term happens to Ryan Howard, who is battling a knee injury.

"I would think so. He’s played first base about twice a week, so we know he can do that," Amaro said.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen made it back into the starting lineup Tuesday against the Cubs after sitting out one game with a knee injury. McCutchen is batting .368 (25 for 68) with a .603 slugging percentage in his last 17 games.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt matched a career high with four hits Monday during an 8-0 win over the Nationals. Belt also hit his sixth home run of the season.

He went 4 for 5 with four runs scored. Belt singled three times and added a solo blast in the fifth off Craig Stammen. The four-hit game gives Belt a .261 average. He had four hits total in his previous five games combined.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was back in action after missing two games due to a bruised left knee. Harper went hitless in the loss to the Giants. 

The 20-year-old went 0 for 4 with a strikeout in his first game since May 17. He's batting .288 on the year with 11 homers and 22 RBI. He's also struck out 26 times. 

Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper returned to action after a two-game absence on Monday in San Francisco. The Nationals have Harper batting third and starting in right field. 

Harper was dealing with a bruised left knee. He enters the game Monday batting .171 (6 for 35) with two home runs and four RBI in 12 May contests.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen told The Pittsburgh Tribune that he injured his knee sliding into home a few days ago.

McCutchen, who missed Sunday's game against the Astros, has no structural damage on his knee. He is hitting .281 with six homers and is listed as day-to-day.

"I just felt a little uncomfortable, and wanted to make sure everything was OK," McCutchen told MLB.com.

Rookie outfielder Marcell Ozuna hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the sixth inning for the Marlins, which turned out to be the game-winning hit in a 2-1 victory Sunday against the Diamondbacks. Ozuna has managed two multi-RBI game through 18 appearances, which account for five of his eight RBI.

Ozuna has hit safely in five straight games, but he's batting just .278 (5 for 18) with one triple and three RBI in that span.

"That kid, the pressure of any situation doesn’t bother him," manager Mike Redmond said, per the Sun-Sentinel. "He’s learned so much up here. Early in the game he was really aggressive, swinging early in the count. [Hitting coach] Tino [Martinez] and myself talked to him about trying to work counts and get a little bit deeper into counts and try and get a little bit better pitch to hit. That was a great at-bat. He got a good pitch up in the zone and made him pay."

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper missed a second-straight game Sunday against the Padres because of a bruised left knee. Harper is batting .171 (6 for 35) with two home runs and four RBI in 12 May games.