MLB Player News

Winker (back) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Padres.

The Reds are facing a lefty starting pitcher (Matt Strahm) in the series finale and Winker is still tending to upper-back tightness, so his continued absence from the lineup isn't overly surprising. Winker will stick on the bench for the seventh game in a row while Phillip Ervin picks up a start in left field, though he'll be available off the bench and is expected to avoid a trip to the IL, per C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic.

Turner is not in Tuesday's lineup against the Blue Jays.

With the Dodgers getting close to fully healthy, they can now afford to give veterans Justin Turner a strategic day off here and there. He is hitting .362 with six home runs in 16 games this month. Max Muncy slides over to the hot corner while Enrique Hernandez starts at second base.

Blackmon is not in Tuesday's lineup against the Diamondbacks.

He has homered in three straight games, so it's a little surprising to see him on the bench for this one. Yonathan Daza starts in center field with Raimel Tapia shifting to right field.

Dickerson is not in Tuesday's lineup against the Cubs.

The left-handed slugger heads to the bench against southpaw Cole Hamels. Austin Slater will get the start in his place.

Carpenter is not in Tuesday's lineup against the Brewers.

Carpenter is hitting .214 with one home run in 42 August at-bats and his 85 wRC+ on the season is his worst mark since his rookie year in 2011. Tommy Edman will start at third base, hitting second.

Blackmon went 2-for-5 with a solo home run Monday in the Rockies' 5-3 loss to the Diamondbacks.

Blackmon kept the Rockies' comeback bid alive when he connected on his 27th home run of the season in the ninth inning, but Arizona closer Archie Bradley retired the next two hitters to end the threat. The outfielder has left the yard in three straight contests, boosting his August OPS to 1.138. His season-long mark of .982 is just 18 points off his career high from the 2017 campaign.

Harper (illness) is starting in right field and hitting third Tuesday in Boston.

He left Sunday's game due to dehydration, so it's not surprising that he's able to take the field for the first of a two-game interleague series after Monday's off day. Harper is hitting .266 with eight home runs and two steals in 17 games this month.

Winker (back) is not in Tuesday's lineup against the Padres.

He appeared as a pinch hitter Sunday, but has not been in the lineup since Aug. 14. With the Reds facing a righty (Cal Quantrill), Winker's back is clearly the reason for his continued absence. Brian O'Grady is starting in left field and hitting eighth.

Winker was unavailable for Monday's game against San Diego due to back soreness, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Winker managed to enter Sunday's matchup as a pinch hitter, so while it appeared possible that his absence from Monday's lineup was due to a lefty taking the mound for the opposition, the Reds revealed after the contest that Winker is still being bothered by a sore back. He'll likely be re-evaluated prior to Tuesday's game to determine his availability moving forward.

Winker (back) is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Padres.

Though Winker will be on the bench for a fifth straight game, the Reds were satisfied enough with the condition of his back to deploy him as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Cardinals. Winker walked in his lone plate appearance and didn't stay in the game for the subsequent half inning, but it's not believed that he suffered a setback in his first game action since Aug. 14. Instead, Winker's continued absence from the lineup for Monday's series opener is most likely result of the Padres bringing a lefty (Eric Lauer) to the hill.