Ohtani went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer, a double and an additional run scored in Friday's 9-7 loss to the Cubs.

Ohtani cut the Dodgers' deficit to 6-4 with a long ball off Kyle Hendricks in the fifth inning that stayed just inside the right-field foul pole. After going eight games without a home run to start his Dodgers tenure, Ohtani has now gone yard in back-to-back games. He's 12-for-42 with six RBI, nine runs scored and a stolen base so far this season.

Bell went 1-for-5 with a two-run homer in Thursday's 8-5 loss to the Cardinals.

Bell put the Marlins ahead 3-1 in the fifth inning with a two-run shot off Lance Lynn, his first homer of the season. The 31-year-old Bell entered the day with just one RBI through his first seven games. He's now 7-for-31 to start the campaign after slashing .247/.325/.419 with 22 home runs and 74 RBI in 150 games between Miami and Cleveland last year.

The Cardinals placed Carpenter on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a right oblique strain, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Carpenter's move to the injured list is retroactive to Tuesday, so he will be eligible to return beginning April 12. The 38-year-old has played in just three of St. Louis' seven games so far, but losing him is another hit to the Cardinals' depth, as the team is already dealing with a handful of injuries to begin the year. Pedro Pages was recalled from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move.

Soler went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a double and two total runs scored in Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Dodgers.

Soler has powered up with homers in back-to-back games, and he has an RBI in each of the last three contests. The slugger is 7-for-25 (.280) with a 5:6 BB:K through seven games this season. Soler displayed better plate discipline with a 24.3 percent strikeouts rate and an 11.6 percent walk rate in 2023, but it's possible he could build on those marks in 2024. His playing time as the Giants' designated hitter has been steady, so he should continue to be heavily involved in run production.

McCutchen is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Nationals.

He will yield to Connor Joe at designated hitter against right-hander Josiah Gray. McCutchen is 3-for-16 with a 9:4 K:BB across his first 21 plate appearances this season.

Winker (illness) will start in left field and bat sixth in Thursday's game versus the Pirates.

Winker has dealt with an illness this week but is feeling well enough to play Thursday. It's a bit of a surprise he's in the lineup at all since the Pirates are starting lefty Martin Perez, and the left-handed hitting Winker has a career .657 OPS versus southpaws.

Manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday that Martinez could join the Mets as soon as next week for their series in Atlanta, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Martinez has been working out at extended spring training but will be assigned to a minor-league affiliate as soon as Friday. The designated hitter won't be added to the 26-man roster when first eligible Sunday, and it's not a given either that he'll be activated for the four-game series in Atlanta that begins Monday. The Mets' decision on whether to make Martinez available in Atlanta will probably depend on how he looks and feels during his at-bats in the minors. Whenever he's ready, Martinez will take over as the Mets' everyday designated hitter, pushing DJ Stewart to a bench role.

Ohtani went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in a 5-4 win against the Giants on Wednesday.

Ohtani had gone homerless over his first eight games with Los Angeles before smashing a 430-foot solo shot in the seventh inning Wednesday to supply his team with a critical insurance run. It was the two-way star's fourth extra-base hit among his 10 total knocks this season, and the long ball produced his fourth RBI. Though he hasn't come blazing out of the gates in his first season with the Dodgers, Ohtani has slashed a respectable .270/.317/.432 and has benefitted from the club's robust offense by scoring seven runs through nine games.

Blackmon went 3-for-5 with a double, a run and two RBI in Wednesday's loss to the Cubs.

Blackmon helped ignite Colorado's offense from the top of the lineup, logging his second straight three-hit game out of the leadoff spot. The veteran outfielder has looked rejuvenated to begin the campaign, slashing .417/.440/.625 with five RBI through six games. He's yet to go deep but has four extra-base hits among his 10 overall knocks, and -- perhaps most impressively -- he's yet to strike out across 24 plate appearances.

Ohtani (elbow) has been throwing every other day, and he made 50 throws from approximately 60 feet on flat ground Monday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Ohtani was cleared to begin a throwing program in late March, and he's been engaging in an every-other-day program as he begins to build his arm back up following last September's Tommy John surgery. The two-way star won't pitch this season, but he's expected to be a part of the Dodgers' rotation next year, and he reportedly could see some time in the outfield or at first base later in the current campaign if the organization is comfortable with his rehab progress. Ohtani will stick to being the team's everyday DH in the meantime, though he's off to a slow start with a .242/.297/.333 slash line and no homers through 37 plate appearances.