MLB Player News

  • J.D. Martinez DH | NYM

    Mets' J.D. Martinez: Won't play in Atlanta

    Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Sunday that Martinez won't join the big-league club during the four-game series in Atlanta that begins Monday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

    The veteran slugger made two appearances at Single-A St. Lucie this weekend but isn't quite ready to join the Mets. The earliest Martinez could now join the MLB club is Friday's series opener versus the Royals in New York, though it's unclear if he's expected to join the team at that point.

  • Joc Pederson DH | ARI

    Diamondbacks' Joc Pederson: Idle versus lefty

    Pederson is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta.

    Atlanta is bringing a left-handed starting pitcher (Chris Sale) to the mound for the second day in a row, so the lefty-hitting Pederson will remain on the bench for the series finale. Ketel Marte will replace Pederson in the lineup as Arizona's designated hitter.

  • Randal Grichuk RF | ARI

    Diamondbacks' Randal Grichuk: Makes season debut

    Grichuk started at designated hitter and went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Saturday's 9-8 loss to Atlanta.

    Grichuk was activated from the injured list Friday and made his season debut the next day. He singled in a run during Arizona's six-run first inning. The righty-hitter should start most games when the Diamondbacks face a left-hander, as was the case Saturday against Max Fried. Atlanta has another southpaw, Chris Sale, scheduled for Sunday, and Grichuk could make his season debut in the field.

  • Marcell Ozuna DH | ATL

    Braves' Marcell Ozuna: Homers, drives in four

    Ozuna went 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBI on Saturday in a 9-8 win over the Diamondbacks.

    Atlanta was down 6-0 before they got a chance to bat, but Ozuna got the scoring going for his club with an RBI double in the fourth, and he made it a game with a three-run blast in the fifth before Atlanta eventually completed the comeback. The designated hitter is already up to four home runs on the season, which trails only Mookie Betts.

  • Joc Pederson DH | ARI

    Diamondbacks' Joc Pederson: Not starting against lefty

    Pederson isn't in Arizona's lineup for Saturday's matchup against Atlanta.

    Southpaw Max Fried will take the mound for Atlanta on Saturday, meaning the lefty-swinging Pederson will stay put in the dugout to begin the game. Randal Grichuk will fill in as the D-backs' DH and bat sixth.

  • Pirates' Andrew McCutchen: Idle Saturday

    McCutchen isn't in the Pirates' lineup for Saturday's game versus Baltimore, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

    McCutchen will get a breather after going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts during Friday's series opener. His absence will allow Edward Olivares to serve as Pittsburgh's DH while batting fifth.

  • Padres' Manny Machado: Remains weeks away from playing 3B

    Manager Mike Shildt said Friday that Machado has been extending distance when playing catch and is "a little ahead of schedule" in terms of rehabbing from offseason elbow surgery, though the Padres won't consider having him return to the field for a few more weeks, 97.3 The Fan San Diego reports.

    Machado has been limited exclusively to designated-hitter duties to begin the campaign, and that appears unlikely to change for at least a few more weeks. Nonetheless, Shildt indicated that the veteran third baseman is "in a good place" and has been feeling good after recent throwing sessions. It's uncertain if Machado's offseason surgery has affected his swing, but he's off to a slow start at the plate, slashing .184/.295/.395 with two home runs, seven RBI and a 6:7 BB:K through 44 plate appearances.

  • Bryce Harper 1B | PHI

    Phillies' Bryce Harper: Laces two doubles

    Harper went 3-for-5 with two doubles and one RBI in Friday's win over the Nationals.

    After opening the season with a tough 0-for-11 streak, Harper has come alive this week, with both doubles Friday coming off left-hander Patrick Corbin. With seven hits in the last three games, Harper has boosted his batting average to .292 (7-for-24) with three homers and seven RBI.

  • Shohei Ohtani DH | LAD

    Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani: Homers again Friday

    Ohtani went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer, a double and an additional run scored in Friday's 9-7 loss to the Cubs.

    Ohtani cut the Dodgers' deficit to 6-4 with a long ball off Kyle Hendricks in the fifth inning that stayed just inside the right-field foul pole. After going eight games without a home run to start his Dodgers tenure, Ohtani has now gone yard in back-to-back games. He's 12-for-42 with six RBI, nine runs scored and a stolen base so far this season.

  • Josh Bell 1B | ARI

    Marlins' Josh Bell: Cranks first homer

    Bell went 1-for-5 with a two-run homer in Thursday's 8-5 loss to the Cardinals.

    Bell put the Marlins ahead 3-1 in the fifth inning with a two-run shot off Lance Lynn, his first homer of the season. The 31-year-old Bell entered the day with just one RBI through his first seven games. He's now 7-for-31 to start the campaign after slashing .247/.325/.419 with 22 home runs and 74 RBI in 150 games between Miami and Cleveland last year.

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