MLB Player News

Belt went 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, an RBI and a pair of runs scored in Tuesday's 12-3 win over Colorado.

The Giants' first baseman returned to the lineup after getting Sunday off and fell a homer shy of the cycle. Manager Bruce Bochy has been batting Belt and his .389 on-base percentage second over his last two starts in an effort get guys on base in front of Buster Posey and Hunter Pence. The move has paid immediate dividends with Belt reaching base five times and scoring twice in the two games since the lineup shift.

Soler (side) underwent an MRI Tuesday and everything came back clean, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Soler's side injury flared up after he returned to the lineup Saturday, but it seems that the outfielder avoided any major setbacks from the incident. He's expected to rejoin the team in Cincinnati this week, though it's unclear how quickly the Cubs will push him back into the lineup with the postseason so close.

Carpenter (finger) is back in the lineup Tuesday against the Reds.

Carpenter sat out of Monday's contest because of pain in his right ring finger, but it seems that the infielder can swing a bat pain-free once again and can get back into action. Carpenter will slot back in at first base and lead off versus Cincinnati starter Robert Stephenson.

Soler (side) remains out of the lineup Tuesday against the Pirates.

The results of Soler's most recent examination have not yet been disclosed and thus his status for the days ahead remains uncertain. He had an MRI last week, which reportedly showed nothing serious, but the discomfort in his side has persisted. Ben Zobrist is starting in left field Tuesday.

Dickerson is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Dodgers.

The Padres are spreading around outfield playing time very liberally now that the minor league season is over, so Dickerson will head to the bench for a night off. Jon Jay will take over in left field for the evening.

Harper (thumb) is out of the lineup Tuesday against the Diamondbacks, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports.

The news on Harper has been generally positive, as X-rays were negative and his swelling was already starting to diminish Monday. However, he's not expected to return until later in the week, perhaps not until the team's final series.

X-ray results on Harper's thumb came back negative Monday and there's a chance he'll be able to return later in the week, Byron Kerr of MASN reports.

Obviously this is good news for Harper, as Kerr even reports that the swelling around Harper's thumb has subsided. A firm date for his return is still unknown, but Brian Goodwin stands to benefit from unexpected playing time during his continued absence.

Carpenter is dealing with pain in his right ring finger, Mark Saxon of ESPN reports.

The knob of the bat is apparently bothering Carpenter's finger when he swings, so the Cardinals will give him some time to rest and heal as they jockey for a wild-card spot. Consider the 30-year-old day-to-day for the time being.

Soler will have his right side examined Monday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN reports.

Soler reportedly was moving gingerly during his last start Saturday, and given that the Cubs have already clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs, they likely want to be extra cautious with him. The 24-year-old will sit out of Monday's contest, and his status for Chicago's upcoming games should become clearer once the details of his examination are revealed.

Carpenter is not in the lineup Monday against the Reds.

Carpenter started the past four games, but after he went 2-for-17 with six strikeouts in that span, manager Mike Matheny decided to give the veteran the night off. Matt Adams will take over at first base for the evening.