MLB Player News

Blackmon (knee) will pick up his $18 million player option for the 2023 season, Danielle Allentuck of The Denver Gazette reports.

Blackmon is 36 and was worth 0.2 fWAR in 135 games before suffering a season-ending knee injury, so picking up the option was an easy call. He could retire following the 2023 season.

Turner (lower leg) isn't starting Friday against Colorado.

Turner's leg continues to bother him as Friday marks the third game in a row he's missed. Max Muncy will fill in at third base and Trayce Thompson will serve as the Dodgers' designated hitter.

McCutchen isn't in the lineup Friday against Miami.

McCutchen is getting a day off after he went 2-for-8 with a walk and four strikeouts over the last two games. Keston Hiura will take over as the designated hitter and bat sixth.

Collins isn't starting Friday against the Cardinals.

After being held hitless in his last 20 at-bats, Collins will retreat to the bench for the second straight game. Ben Gamel will take his place at first base and bat sixth.

Vogelbach will sit Friday against Atlanta.

With lefty Max Fried on the mound for Atlanta, it's no surprise to see Vogelbach hit the bench. Francisco Alvarez will make his MLB debut in the designated hitter spot.

Ruf was placed on the 10-day injured list with a neck strain Friday, retroactive to Sept. 27.

Ruf has had limited playing time over the last few weeks, but he's apparently been dealing with a neck injury that has kept him off the field recently. Although the move was backdated, the 36-year-old will be forced to miss the rest of the regular season. It's not yet clear whether he'll be healthy in time for the postseason.

Harper went 3-for-4 in Thursday's loss to the Cubs.

Harper recently went through a 1-for-16 stretch over five games but has broken out of it with five knocks in his last three contests. In addition, the outfielder has tallied seven RBI during his last six games.

Turner (lower leg) isn't in the lineup Thursday against the Padres, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Turner continues to deal with swelling on his left shin after fouling a ball off his leg last week and making a rough slide Tuesday. He'll be sidelined for a second consecutive game while Max Muncy starts at the hot corner and bats fifth.

Morel went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Phillies.

Morel's fifth-inning blast against Aaron Nola, his 16th of the season, sparked a four-run inning that led the Cubs to victory. The rookie has now gone deep in consecutive contests, and with seven games left this year, he has an outside shot at getting to 20 home runs. Morel looks primed for a big 2023 campaign as he figures to be a regular from Opening Day onward.

Manager Dave Roberts said Turner (leg) will probably be out for a few days, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

After taking a foul ball off his leg last week and making a rough slide Tuesday, Turner experienced some swelling on his left shin. It's unclear how many games he will end up missing, but he should be considered day-to-day going forward.