MLB Player News

Winker will start in right field and lead off Tuesday against the Cardinals.

By successfully running the bases again Saturday, Winker passed the final test necessary to return from a hip injury. He will slot in atop the order in his first start back, as Scott Schebler moves to center to open a spot for Winker in right. This could be the new norm for Cincinnati with Billy Hamilton (thumb) on the DL. Winker has displayed strong plate skills and surprising pop during his time with the big club, and with regular playing time, he should be useful in most mixed leagues.

Winker (hip) was activated from the 10-day DL on Tuesday, Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

While it is obviously a small sample size, Winker has unquestionably improved his dynasty-league stock by hitting four home runs while slashing .297/.402/.500 in 87 MLB plate appearances after hitting just five home runs in 191 games at Triple-A over the last two seasons. He should get semi-regular work down the stretch as the Reds continue to evaluate their outfield situation for 2018.

Martinez went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs, a stolen base and an RBI in Monday's 5-4 loss to the Rockies.

Fresh off earning National League Player of the Week honors after homering seven times in the previous six contests, Martinez continued to rake Monday, turning in his third straight multi-hit effort. The slugging outfielder is now hitting .450 in September, raising his season mark from .278 to .298 during that span.

Martinez went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs in Sunday's win over the Padres.

The 30-year-old book-ended his week with multi-homer games, following up Monday's historic four-homer game with two more long balls Sunday. He also had a four-hit performance this weekend and is now batting .289, so his third straight .300 season is within reach. The timing couldn't be better for those in the fantasy playoffs.

Ozuna isn't in the lineup Sunday against the Braves, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

After starting 22 consecutive games, Ozuna will have a well-earned day off. In that span he slashed .318/.394/.534 and hit five home runs. Tyler Moore will hit fourth and start in left field while Ozuna heads to the bench. The Marlins have Monday off, so Ozuna should return to the lineup Tuesday against the Phillies.

Martinez went 4-for-5 with an RBI in Saturday's 8-7 loss to the Padres.

It's the second four-hit effort in five games for Martinez, allowing him to bring up his average to .264 since he joined the Diamondbacks in mid-July. While a 30.6 percent strikeout rate over that same span would normally suggest that Martinez's average is unsustainable, the outfielder has run BABIPs above .340 in each of the past three seasons, which could be enough to keep his average fairly stable the rest of the way.

Pederson started in left field and went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in Saturday's loss to the Rockies.

While he didn't produce anything at the plate, it is important to note that Pederson -- and not Curtis Granderson -- got the start in left field in what appeared to be the Dodgers' "A" lineup. It is also possible that manager Dave Roberts plans to rotate several options in left field now that rosters have expanded. Pederson owns an unsavory .211/.326/.406 slash line this season, so he wouldn't be more than a deep-league option for homer potential even if he did regain an everyday role.

Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo homer and a walk Saturday during the Cardinals' 4-3 win over the Pirates.

Carpenter is getting over a shoulder injury that hobbled him for most of the past week, and this is a good sign that he's back to normal and could deliver more power down the stretch. His .239 batting average has disappointed his fantasy owners, but Carpenter continues to reach base at an elite pace (.377), which keeps him in favorable territory for OBP leagues.

Stanton went 1-for-5 with a solo home run Saturday during the Marlins' 6-5 loss to the Braves.

He became the first player to slug 54 homers in a season since Jose Bautista did it in 2010. The blast was a 456-foot monstrosity -- the second-longest at SunTrust Park -- with an exit speed of 113.7 mph, per Statcast. The big-league leader is in a fine position to threaten 60 by season's end.

Winker (hip) ran the bases again Saturday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "Now we're just getting the sign off that he can re-enter as an active player," manager Bryan Price said.

Winker remains on the disabled list, but it sounds like his return is imminent. With Billy Hamilton (thumb) on the DL and quite possibly out for the rest of the season, the door is open for Winker to see semi-regular playing time in the Reds' outfield. The 24-year-old has displayed a strong approach so far in the big leagues -- as he did in the minors -- batting .297/.402/.500 with a 13:15 BB:K in 87 plate appearances.