MLB Player News

Winker is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Brewers.

Winker will hit the bench for the second time in as many games, with both absences surprisingly coming against right-handed pitchers (Trevor Williams and Zach Davies). The expectation heading into the season was that the lefty-hitting Winker would at least be a full-time regular versus righty pitching, but the back-to-back benchings suddenly makes his role more of a question mark. Matt Kemp will man left field in Winker's stead once again.

Harper went 2-for-3 with a solo homer, a double and two walks in Sunday's victory over the Braves.

Harper's bat is heating up already, as his OPS sits at 1.649 through his first three games with his new team. The home run, his second of the year, came off Shane Carle in the seventh inning and gave the Phillies a three-run lead.

Carpenter went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double and a walk Sunday against Milwaukee.

Carpenter doubled to right field in the first inning but was stranded following three straight strikeouts by his teammates. He would later extend the Cardinals' lead to two runs in the fifth inning with a solo blast to center. The veteran third baseman finishes the first series of the 2019 campaign 4-for-16 with two extra-base hits and three runs scored (four games).

Turner is not in the lineup Sunday against the Diamondbacks.

Turner started each of the Dodgers' first three games and appears to be receiving a routine day of rest. He just enjoyed a strong performance Saturday in which he recorded three hits, drove in five and scored three runs. Max Muncy will take over at third base and bat fourth.

Ozuna went 2-for-4 with a run in a loss to the Brewers on Saturday.

Ozuna has followed up his late-spring improvement at the plate with a three-game hitting streak to open 2019. The veteran outfielder is reportedly feeling better than he has in years as a result of offseason shoulder surgery, so a return to the type of power numbers he generated in his final Marlins campaign two seasons ago (career-high 30 doubles and 37 home runs) may be in the works.

Harper went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo homer in Saturday's win over the Braves.

It took until his sixth at-bat, but Harper finally opened his Phillies account in emphatic fashion, launching a second-deck bomb off lefty Jesse Biddle in the bottom of the seventh. His late arrival to camp naturally raises concerns about a slow start to the season, but April has historically been Harper's best month, so his bat may not take long to heat up.

Winker isn't in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.

Winker was slated to sit out Saturday prior to the game raining out, but the Reds maintained a similar lineup Sunday. Winker is still expected to draw the majority of starts alongside Scott Schebler and Yasiel Puig, though it is a bit surprising to see him out of the lineup against right-handed starter Trevor Williams.

Pederson went 3-for-3 with a leadoff home run, two walks and four runs scored in an 18-5 victory over the Diamondbacks on Saturday.

The Dodgers leadoff hitter is off to a fantastic start with seven runs and seven hits -- including three home runs -- in the first three games. It looks like Pederson could platoon this season, so keep the expectations in check, but the great start already has owners thinking maybe he could reach a career best in at least the runs category, as his career high is 67 in 2015.

Reyes will be on the bench Saturday against the Giants.

Reyes started both of the Padres' first two games, going hitless in five at-bats. Hunter Renfroe will start in right field and hit fifth Saturday.

Carpenter went 2-for-5 with an RBI single, a walk and two runs in a win over the Brewers on Friday.

Carpenter had gone hitless in his season debut Thursday, but he was an effective table setter at the top of the lineup in Friday's victory. The veteran infielder came home on the first of Paul Goldschmidt's three home runs in the first inning, and he later plated Kolten Wong with a timely seventh-inning single. Carpenter expects to see plenty of quality pitches this season with Goldschmidt hitting directly behind him, a notion only further enforced by the latter's explosive performance Friday.