MLB Player News

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.

Winker (illness) is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Pirates, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Winker had to be removed from Monday's 8-4 loss to Pittsburgh due to an illness. Even after Tuesday's off day, Winker won't rejoin the lineup, though it's unclear whether he's still not feeling well or if he's just getting an extra day to rest up. Eddie Rosario will play left field and Victor Robles will be in center while Winker is on the bench.

Soler went 2-for-3 with a solo home run during Tuesday's loss to the Dodgers.

After notching 36 long balls a season ago, it took Soler six games in a Giants uniform to get on the board in the homer column. He tagged Ryan Yarbrough for a solo shot in the sixth inning. While the power has been down so far, it's still super early, and Soler has been able to contribute elsewhere with five runs scored and a .370 OBP.

Ozuna went 2-for-4 with two solo home runs in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the White Sox.

The veteran slugger took Garrett Crochet deep to left field in the seventh inning before launching a Michael Kopech fastball to nearly the same spot in the ninth, but it was all the offense Atlanta could muster. Ozuna has gone just 5-for-22 (.227) to begin the season with an 0:5 BB:K, but three of those hits have left the yard. The 33-year-old is looking to match the career-high 40 homers he clubbed in 2023.

Morel went 1-for-4 with a walk, a solo home run and an additional run scored in Tuesday's 12-2 win over the Rockies.

Morel went deep in the third inning as the Cubs piled on in the easy win. The 24-year-old now has two long balls across five games to go along with a robust 1.171 OPS. Whether he's playing at third base or serving as the DH, Morel will be in the lineup most days due to his powerful bat, and fantasy managers should reap the rewards.

Harper went 3-for-4 with three home runs and six RBI in Tuesday's 9-4 win over the Reds.

Harper kicked off a monstrous evening with a solo blast his first time up and another to lead off the fourth. He then put the game out of reach with a grand slam in the seventh inning. Harper entered the day 0-for-11 at the plate through his first three games, and with Tuesday's historic performance, he erased any memory of his brief season-opening slump. It was the second three-homer game of his career and it led to a career-high six RBI for the 31-year-old.

McCutchen went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a walk Monday against the Nationals.

McCutchen struck out in five of his first nine plate appearances of the season and was out of the lineup both Saturday and Sunday. He returned to bat fourth Monday and struck out two additional times, though he also managed his first hits of the new campaign -- including a key RBI knock in the eighth inning. The Pirates' lineup is deeper than last season when McCutchen was a regular, but he'll likely get plenty of time to get his bat up to speed.

Morel went 2-for-3 with a run scored during Monday's 5-0 victory over the Rockies.

Despite the modest stat line, Morel's sixth-inning single with two-men on was the impetus for the Cubs' victory as a misplay by left-fielder Nolan Jones saw the ball roll all the way to the wall and allowed both runners to score. Jones then added a throwing error on the same play that allowed Morel to complete the little-league home run. Unfortunately, Morel did not get credited with an RBI on the play but it's been a solid start to the season for the Cubs' third-baseman. Through four games he's collected seven hits in 17 at-bats with a homer, three RBI and four runs scored.