MLB Player News

Ozuna went 2-for-4 with a triple and a three-run home run in Saturday's win over the Nationals.

Ozuna tagged Jordan Weems for a three-run shot in the fifth inning, marking the outfielder's 38th long ball of 2023. Over his last 12 games, Ozuna is 17-for-49 (.347) with four home runs and 15 RBI while striking out at a 26.4 percent clip.

Morel went 2-for-5 with a double, a solo home run and two runs scored in Saturday's win over the Brewers.

Following up his 16-homer season as a rookie in 2022, Morel now has 26 home runs this year, and he's also boosted his batting average and OPS in his second MLB campaign. The 24-year-old has struck out more than 30 percent of the time in his first two seasons, however, which is something fantasy managers will want to see him improve upon moving forward.

Harper isn't in the Phillies' lineup for the second game of Saturday's doubleheader with the Mets.

Harper turned in an 0-for-3 performance during Philadelphia's Game 1 loss, and he'll now get a breather for the nightcap. Weston Wilson will pick up a start at first base instead and bat sixth.

Pederson will be on the bench against Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers on Saturday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Pederson seldom starts against southpaws, so it's no surprise to see him on the bench Saturday along with the rest of the Giants' lefties. Austin Slater will serve as the designated hitter.

Vientos will be on the bench for the first half of Saturday's doubleheader against the Phillies, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Down the stretch of a lost season, Vientos has been given plenty of opportunities to stake his claim for a significant role next season, starting 18 consecutive games prior to this one. He homered five times over that stretch, but his .224/.257/.448 slash line (90 wRC+) wasn't exactly convincing. Brett Baty will be the designated hitter for the afternoon contest.

Morel went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, a triple and a run scored in Friday's loss to the Brewers.

Morel was productive from the No. 8 spot in the lineup, but the Cubs as a whole mustered only six hits and three runs in the defeat. The 24-year-old has recorded 44 extra-base hits among his 92 total hits this year, including 25 home runs, boosting his OPS to a solid .809. He should have a few more chances to contribute before the regular season wraps up.

Martinez went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Friday's 6-2 win over the Giants.

Martinez's power binge continues -- he's homered seven times over his last 11 contests to get to 33 long balls for the season. His blast Friday gave the Dodgers some added insurance in the sixth inning. The designated hitter is hitting .400 (16-for-40) during his surge, a stretch that has raised his batting average on the year from .261 to .274 and his OPS from .852 to .906. He's added 103 RBI, 61 runs scored, 27 doubles, a stolen base and two triples through 111 contests.

The Rockies signed Blackmon to a one-year contract extension Friday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

Blackmon had been scheduled to become a free agent this winter at age 37, but he'll stay in Colorado for what will be his 14th major-league season. He was selected by the Rockies in the second round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of Georgia Tech and has tallied 1,688 career big-league hits, all in the purple and black. The new one-year deal carries a $13 million guarantee with another $2 million available in performance-based incentives, per Steve Adams of MLBTradeRumors.com.

Martinez went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 14-5 loss to the Rockies.

Martinez set an early tone with his first-inning blast, but the Rockies took control of the game in the third inning. This was Martinez's sixth multi-hit effort in his last 10 games, and he's hit six homers with 14 RBI in that span. The designated hitter is up to 32 long balls, 100 RBI, 60 runs scored, one stolen base and a .274/.325/.576 slash line through 110 contests this season.

Blackmon went 3-for-5 with a solo home run, two doubles, one additional RBI, one stolen base and two total runs scored in Thursday's 14-5 win over the Dodgers.

Blackmon filled the box score in a productive effort that began with a leadoff blast in the first inning. He also provided an RBI double in the seventh to cap a four-run rally. The 37-year-old has hit .268 (22-for-82) in September, and his homer Thursday was his first of the month. He's up to eight long balls, 40 RBI, 56 runs scored, three steals, 24 doubles and a .283/.370/.451 slash line through 93 games this season.