MLB Player News
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Justin Turner DH | CHC
Dodgers' Justin Turner: Back in action
Turner (ankle, hamstring) is starting at third base and hitting third Thursday against the Brewers, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Turner missed Tuesday's game due to an ankle bruise and hamstring tightness, but he was able to make a pinch-hit appearance Wednesday and reported no issues, clearing the way for him to rejoin the starting lineup. The veteran third baseman, who is slashing .297/.382/.328 with eight RBI through 18 games this season, will face right-hander Zach Davies in his first game back.
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Justin Turner DH | CHC
Dodgers' Justin Turner: Pinch hits
Turner (ankle, hamstring) made a pinch-hit appearance in the Dodgers' 3-2 win over the Reds on Wednesday.
The third baseman has been held out of the starting lineup for the last two games after fouling a ball of his ankle and feeling hamstring tightness, but he came off the bench for Joc Pederson in the eighth inning of this contest. This is a good sign Turner's injuries are minor and he should be able to rejoin the starting lineup in short order.
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Matt Carpenter DH | STL
Cardinals' Matt Carpenter: Hits third homer
Carpenter went 1-for-5 with a solo homer in a 6-3 victory against the Brewers on Wednesday.
The veteran infielder has five hits, including four extra-base hits, in the last five games, and yet he's just barely sitting above the Mendoza Line with a .203 average. This shouldn't be alarming, as Carpenter hit .155 last April and still finished the season with a .257 average and a career-high 36 homers. It's frustrating right now, but Carpenter will more than likely reward owners with a hot streak at some point this summer.
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Marcell Ozuna DH | PIT
Cardinals' Marcell Ozuna: Smashes eighth homer
Ozuna went 1-for-4 with another home run, one RBI and a walk in a 6-3 victory against the Brewers on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old hit a homer in each of the contests during the three-game set against the Brewers this week. He has eight home runs this season, and all of them have come in his last 10 games. Ozuna is batting .290 with 16 RBI, 13 runs and two steals in 62 at-bats over 17 games this year.
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Justin Turner DH | CHC
Dodgers' Justin Turner: Remains out Wednesday
Turner (hamstring, ankle) is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Reds, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.
Turner missed Tuesday's game due to both an ankle bruise and hamstring tightness. He was expected to return Wednesday but evidently needs at least one more day. Max Muncy starts at third base in his absence.
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Bryce Harper 1B | PHI
Phillies' Bryce Harper: Scores three times in rout
Harper went 1-for-2 with a walk and three runs scored in Tuesday's 14-3 win over the Mets.
Harper was driven in by a J.T. Realmuto double twice in the Phillies' 10-run first inning and scored again in the sixth on a double by Scott Kingery. The outfielder's bat has cooled off lately, as he's hitting just .176 over the last nine games, but his hot start to the season means he's still hitting an excellent .276/.432/.552 overall.
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Brandon Belt DH | TOR
Giants' Brandon Belt: Belts fourth homer
Belt went 2-for-4 with a home run and a pair of runs scored in Tuesday's 7-3 win over Washington.
Belt returned from a stiff neck Sunday, and Tuesday's long ball should quash any concerns regarding his injury. The 30-year-old is batting just .237 (14-for-59) early on, but he has provided eight extra-base hits (four homers) through 18 contests, resulting in a strong .288 isolated power rating. We all know the story with Belt by now; if he can stay away from the injured list, there is plenty of upside in that bat.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Dodgers' Joc Pederson: Hits another homer
Pederson went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer in a 6-1 victory against the Reds on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old has displayed a ton of power this week, as he has five homers since April 10. During that stretch, he is also hitting .320 with eight RBI and seven runs. The hot streak has raised his batting average to .259 with eight homers, 14 RBI and 16 runs in 58 at-bats across 18 games. Pederson is walking a fair amount too, so he owns a .380 on-base percentage. Behind the home-run surge, he possesses a .724 slugging percentage (1.104 OPS).
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Marcell Ozuna DH | PIT
Cardinals' Marcell Ozuna: Stays hot with seventh homer
Ozuna went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer in the Cardinals' 8-4 loss Tuesday against the Brewers.
With St. Louis down 8-0, Ozuna got the Cardinals on the board with a two-run homer in the sixth inning off Brandon Woodruff. The 28-year-old has seven homers since April 6 and has raised his batting average to .293 for the season.
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Justin Turner DH | CHC
Dodgers' Justin Turner: Has knock, hamstring tightness
Turner's omission from Tuesday's lineup is due to an ankle knock and hamstring tightness, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.
Turner fouled a pitch off his left ankle in batting practice and also felt tightness in his left hamstring, per Gurnick, which is why he'll sit for Tuesday's contest against the Reds. According to Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times, Turner is available off the bench Tuesday and is expected to play in Wednesday's series finale.