MLB Player News

Martinez (hamstring) is hoping to be available to play Sunday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Martinez and the Dodgers had been targeting a Saturday return, but the designated hitter instead will go through a pregame workout that day with the hope of playing Sunday. The slugger hasn't been in the lineup since this past Sunday due to a left hamstring injury but is feeling better after receiving an epidural injection earlier this week.

Canha isn't in the Brewers' lineup Friday against the White Sox.

Canha is slashing just .176/.243/.235 through 37 plate appearances to begin his tenure with the Brewers, so he'll get a day off Friday to regroup. William Contreras will take over as the designated hitter, allowing Victor Caratini to start behind the dish.

Harper (back) isn't in the Phillies' lineup Friday against Minnesota, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Harper was removed from Thursday's game against Washington after experiencing back spasms in the fifth inning. The Phillies are unsure what caused Harper's back to start giving him problems, but it's apparently severe enough to cause him to miss a start. Alec Bohm will shift to first base while Harper sits, allowing Edmundo Sosa to fill in at third and bat eighth.

Harper was removed from Thursday's game against the Nationals due to back spasms, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Harper was hit in the face by a ball that took a strange bounce off first base in the fourth inning, but his removal in the fifth was seemingly unrelated. The Phillies will take a closer look at Harper and should provide more updates in the near future, but for now he should be considered day-to-day.

McCutchen is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game against Atlanta, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

It looks to be a routine day off for the veteran. Bryan Reynolds is getting a start in the designated hitter spot, with Josh Palacios handling left field.

Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Marlins.

Encarnacion-Strand propelled the Reds to a lead in the fourth inning with a two-run homer, then extended the lead with run-producing single in the sixth. However, Cincinnati's bullpen coughed up four runs in the final two innings. It was the second home run in three games for Encarnacion-Strand, who is 12-for-37 (.324) over the last 10 contests.

Morel went 1-for-4 with a walk and a solo home run in Wednesday's loss to the Mets.

Morel started the game with a leadoff home run but didn't do much from there, striking out two times in his other three at-bats. Fantasy managers will still take the effort from the 24-year-old, who's been solid this year with 18 home runs in just 72 games after hitting 16 home runs across 113 games as a rookie in 2022. He's got two of those long balls in nine games this month, though he's also batting only .167 in August.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that he hopes Martinez (hamstring) can return Saturday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Martinez received a cortisone injection Wednesday, and his MRI results didn't reveal anything unexpected. The 35-year-old will remain shut down for a few days, but the team is seemingly sticking to its original timeline for Martinez to return during its upcoming series against Colorado.

Martinez (hamstring/groin) remains out of the lineup Wednesday at Arizona.

Martinez flew back to Los Angeles on Tuesday to undergo an MRI and receive a cortisone injection for a lingering hamstring/groin issue. The current hope is that he will be able to return to action at some point during the Dodgers' four-game series against the visiting Rockies, which begins Thursday. James Outman is filling the DH role in Wednesday's series finale versus the Diamondbacks.

Vogelbach is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Cubs.

Abraham Almonte will serve as the Mets' designated hitter and bat sixth versus the Cubs and right-hander Kyle Hendricks. Vogelbach is 0-for-9 with no walks and three strikeouts over his last three games and slashing just .220/.319/.356 across 235 total plate appearances this year.