MLB Player News

Blackmon is out of the lineup Sunday against the Dodgers, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

There aren't any reports that an injury is in play for Blackmon, so his absence likely stems from his poor form at the plate of late. Blackmon has gone 4-for-28 over the past seven games and hasn't received an off-day since May 15, so manager Bud Black decided the two-time All-Star could benefit from a breather. Raimel Tapia will cover center field with Blackmon on the bench.

Miller will start at shortstop and serve as the Brewers' leadoff man in Sunday's game against the Reds.

Miller has appeared in all seven of the Brewers' games since being recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs on June 23, starting in five of them. He'll draw his fourth straight start Sunday and appears to be the club's primary shortstop for the time being, with the demotion of Orlando Arcia to Triple-A prior to the series finale giving Miller additional job security. Miller will also lead off for the third consecutive game, though he'll be at risk at dropping in the order if Lorenzo Cain (groin) returns from the disabled list Wednesday against the Twins when first eligible, as is expected.

Winker is out of the lineup Sunday against the Brewers, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

After starting the first three games of the series, Winker will head to the bench in favor of Adam Duvall (left) and Scott Schebler (right). It was a productive June for the 24-year-old outfielder, as Winker had a .944 OPS with five home runs and 20 RBI.

McCutchen went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and two runs scored Saturday against the Diamondbacks.

McCutchen's slugging percentage and batting average both increased significantly throughout June, so it was appropriate the he ended the month on a strong note. He has 12 three-hit performances and six home runs in the past 30 days, so it appears that he may once again break out of an early-season slump to post solid season-long numbers.

Turner will get the day off Saturday against the Rockies.

Turner has eight hits and three homers in his last last 19 at-bats but will nonetheless take a seat. Max Muncy will slide over to third base in his place.

Cespedes (hip/quad) has still not begun running again, and he didn't join his teammates in the clubhouse for this weekend's series in Miami despite the fact that he's rehabbing at the Mets' spring training facility in Port St. Lucie, just a couple of hours away, Kristie Ackert of The New York Daily News reports. "He's not going to join us here in Miami," manager Mickey Callaway announced Friday afternoon. "We thought it would probably hinder his rehab to come here for a couple days. We'll keep him in Port St. Lucie and continue what he's doing."

Unfortunately, what Cespedes is doing right now still doesn't amount to much, and his timetable for a return to the big-league lineup remains very murky. Callaway did say the outfielder was "feeling a lot better," but given his inactivity and long layoff, activation from the disabled list before the All-Star break is basically off the table at this point, and it's possible Cespedes may not even return by the end of July if he doesn't show real progress soon.

Harper went 1-for-3 with three walks, three runs scored and three RBI in Friday's rout of the Phillies.

The homer was his first since June 9 and his 20th of the season, moving Harper into a tie with Nolan Arenado for the National League lead. While he hasn't been putting the ball over the fence much, Harper has otherwise looked like his usual self recently, slashing .290/.465/.613 over his last 10 games with eight of his nine hits going for extra bases (seven doubles, one home run) and an 11:9 BB:K.

Turner went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in a 3-1 loss to the Rockies on Friday.

Turner homered for the second consecutive game and for the third time over his last six contests. The third baseman's power was understandably sapped following his initial return from a wrist injury, but the recent uptick in long balls is a great sign that Turner can begin performing like his former All-Star self.

McCutchen went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, an RBI and a run scored in Thursday's loss to the Rockies.

McCutchen has turned things around in the month of June, slashing .300/.342/.540 with five homers, 16 RBI, 17 runs and a pair of steals over 108 plate appearances. The 31-year-old should continue to provide solid contributions across the five main offensive fantasy categories while batting in the heart of the Giants' order.

Turner went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 11-5 loss to the Cubs.

Turner's fourth homer of the season came in the bottom of the ninth inning of a blowout loss. While the long ball didn't change the Dodgers' fortunes, it certainly helped the 33-year-old's fantasy owners. Turner has looked like his pre-injury self over the last five games, going 6-for-15 with three walks and two homers over that span.