MLB Player News

McCutchen went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer Monday against the Twins.

He's hitting .263 in 19 Grapefruit League at-bats with one homer and one stolen base. His move to right field from center has gone seamlessly. McCutchen, who is batting third after struggling in the second spot for much of 2016, will look to get off to a good start. He's hit just .212 in 165 April at-bats in 2015 and 2016.

Winker was optioned to Triple-A Louisville, the Dayton Daily News reports.

Scott Schebler looks set to start in right field as a result. However, Winker may not be in the minors long as one of Cincy's top prospects.

Belt crushed a three-run homer in Friday's win over the Rockies. It was his only hit in four at-bats.

The 28-year-old is quietly having a consistent spring, slashing .289/.340/.600 in 49 plate appearances. Quiet and consistent are also ways to describe the first baseman's offensive game. In his last three full seasons, Belt has averaged 17.3 homers, 72.3 RBI and 75.3 runs. The one aspect of his game that stands out from the rest is his ability to get on base at a high clip (.394 on-base percentage in 2016), which obviously inflates his value in leagues that incorporate that statistic. Barring an injury, we should expect more of the same from Belt in 2017.

Carpenter went 2-for-3 with four RBI from a sacrifice fly, RBI single and two-run triple in Wednesday's 6-1 Grapefruit League win over the Nationals.

Carpenter looks fully recovered from the back woes that plagued him last week, and is enjoying his spot in the middle of the order after hitting leadoff in the past. The Cardinals' starting first baseman is now hitting .333 (5-for-15) with a triple, home run, seven RBI, two walks and a run over nine spring games.

McCutchen went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a walk Wednesday during Team USA's victory over Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic championship game.

Cutch poked clutch RBI singles in the fifth and eighth innings as the United States went on to win 8-0, and the veteran went 5-for-21 with five RBI during the WBC. His fantasy stock may remain a bit undervalued in many circles, presenting a potentially profitable buying opportunity in mixed leagues.

Ozuna went 1-for-2 with a solo home run, his fourth long ball of the spring, and came around to score on a walk in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Braves.

He continues to enjoy a solid spring, hitting .316/.357/.684 through 38 at-bats. Ozuna primarily hit fourth or fifth last season for the Marlins, and the 26-year-old should once again slot into the heart of a young and improving batting order in Miami, giving him a shot at matching or topping his career high of 85 RBI.

Jimenez has a bone bruise in his right shoulder and will rest for three weeks, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.

The Cubs' top prospect aggravated an already sore shoulder on an errant throw from left field Tuesday, and he was sent for both an MRI and a CT scan. It's good news that Jimenez is only dealing with a bruise, as there's hope that some rest is all that's required.

Carpenter (back) is 1-for-4 in the two games he's played since returning to the lineup after missing Thursday's contest.

The Cardinals' starting first baseman's back appears to be back at full health after he was able to play both Friday and Saturday. Carpenter should be considered a full go moving forward and is now slashing .273/.333/.545 over 11 spring at-bats.

Stanton crushed a mammoth, game-winning two-run home run in the fourth inning of Team USA's 6-3 victory Saturday over the Dominican Republic.

The homer not only put the USA through to the semifinals of the WBC, it left Stanton's bat at an unfathomable 117.3 mph, the fourth-hardest-hit home run since Statcast began tracking exit velocity in 2015. He's struggled to stay healthy throughout his big league career, playing more than 140 games only twice in six seasons as a full-time Marlin, but when he's in top form, the 27-year-old possesses more raw power than anybody else in MLB.

The Cubs "seem optimistic" that Jimenez's shoulder injury won't require more than a rest period and re-strengthening program to resolve, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Jimenez, the Cubs' top prospect, aggravated an already sore shoulder on an errant throw from left field Tuesday. While it seems the Cubs are not overly concerned, they did send Jimenez for both an MRI and a CT scan to get a proper read on the issue. It sounds like the team will await more clarity on the matter before commenting publicly on Jimenez's status.