MLB Player News

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo reported Sunday that Harper has a "significant bone bruise" in his left knee but that he avoided any ligament damage, Gabe Lacques of USA Today reports. Harper was placed on the 10-day disabled list.

This appears to be a near best-case scenario for the Nationals and Harper's fantasy owners alike, as the superstar right fielder has seemingly avoided a serious knee injury after exiting Saturday's contest prematurely. The team has not released a timetable for his eventual return, but it is confident that the injury is not season-ending. His status moving forward will likely depend on how quickly the bone bruise heals. Michael Taylor (oblique) was activated from the DL in a corresponding move.

Cespedes is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.

Cespedes has five hits -- including two home runs and five RBI -- during his past three games, but he'll receive a scheduled day of rest as the Mets close out their weekend series against Zach Eflin and the Phillies. Brandon Nimmo will take over in left field, batting seventh.

Harper will undergo an MRI on Sunday as the Nationals look to assess the severity of the hyperextended left knee he suffered in the first inning of Saturday's 3-1 win over the Giants, Jamal Collier of MLB.com reports.

Harper required assistance off the field after he slipped on the top of first base awkwardly while trying to beat out an infield grounder during his first at-bat of the game. Given that Harper looked to be in considerable pain, it seems quite likely that he'll land on the disabled list as a result of the injury, but the Nationals won't have a timetable for his recovery until the MRI results are read. Harper's likely absence would represent yet another hit to the Nationals' dwindling outfield depth, as Jayson Werth (foot) and Michael Taylor (oblique) are already on the disabled list along with Adam Eaton (knee), who has been ruled out for the season.

Cespedes went 1-for-4 with a solo homer Saturday against the Phillies.

Cespedes smashed his 14th bomb of the campaign to put the Mets on the board in the fourth inning of a divisional loss. He's now homered in three of his last five games to raise his slugging percentage to .512, and although he's not performing like the fantasy star he's been over the past couple years, he's still a solid fantasy option.

Harper was helped off the field Saturday after suffering an apparently serious left knee injury while lunging to try to beat out a groundball, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reports.

He appeared to slip slightly when he stretched out and touched first base, and then his left knee twisted in an ugly manner. Harper could put no weight on his left leg and needed assistance to leave the field. This certainly seems like the type of injury that could mean the end of Harper's 2017 campaign. His status will be updated when the team makes a formal announcement as to the exact nature of the injury.

Stanton went 3-for-4 with a double and a three-run homer Saturday against the Rockies.

Stanton blasted his 41st home run of the year to break up a tie game in the fourth inning of a game the Marlins would go on to win. He's smashed eight homers over his last nine games to raise his slugging percentage from .586 to .631, and he continues to reward fantasy managers with an elite season.

McCutchen (knee) said he could have played Saturday if asked, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

This is encouraging news, as it appears McCutchen was held out of Saturday's game simply as precaution. The Pirates will likely wait to see how McCutchen feels during Sunday's pregame before making a decision regarding his status, but the 30-year-old seems to be on the cusp of a return.

McCutchen (knee) is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Blue Jays.

McCutchen exited Friday's game with discomfort in his knee, and while the injury isn't thought to be anything overly serious, the Pirates won't take any chances with their stud outfielder. While he ultimately isn't in the lineup, the 30-year-old was able to take batting practice during pregame warmups, Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, so it seems likely that the team will wait to see how he feels during Saturday's pregame routine before making a decision on his status for the series finale.

McCutchen (knee) said he felt "significantly better" after Friday's game and could play Saturday, DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.

The team will decide Saturday whether McCutchen is fit to return to the lineup as a designated hitter or center fielder. "I'd like to play defense, too," he said. "I feel better now. Docs ran some tests. It was good. We'll see how it feels tomorrow." He described his pain as a cramp and said he didn't need an MRI, even as a precautionary measure. It appears fantasy owners dodged a major bullet Friday.

Stanton went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 6-3 win over the Rockies.

The slugger's 40th of the season was a typical Giancarlo smash, as he drove a line drive into the second deck in left-center field. There are few things scarier to pitchers than a locked-in Stanton, and with 14 homers in 26 games since the All-Star break, it's a wonder he hasn't been walked more than 17 times over that stretch.