MLB Player News

Stanton is not in the lineup for Thursday's series finale against the Pirates, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Stanton returned to the starting lineup for the first time in seven games Wednesday, but will sit again Thursday as the Marlins look to ease him back into the swing of things. The 26-year-old slugger went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in his return, bringing his average down to .210 on the season.

Belt went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk against the Braves on Wednesday.

Belt has been pretty hot of late with four multi-hit games in his past five contests, and he's hit .476 (10-for-21) over that span. During his last 10 games, Belt has slugged an impressive .579, and his fantasy value will be on the rise as long as he keeps hitting the ball with authority.

Stanton went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a walk against Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

Stanton missed the last seven games with a side injury, but the time off the lineup didn't help him to overcome his struggles. The slugger saw his average decrease to .210, and he hasn't had a multi-hit game since May 13. Stanton has been pretty inconsistent this year, and if he doesn't hit then his fantasy value is pretty limited.

Stanton is back in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Pirates, Andre Fernandez of the Miami Herald reports.

Stanton had missed the previous seven games with a side injury, but appears to finally be healthy to the relief of many fantasy owners. Stanton will now focus on improving his .214 average and try to get back in a groove offensively.

Soler is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers.

Kris Bryant will slide to left field while Javier Baez is inserted into the lineup at third base. Soler is off to a slow start this season, hitting just .202 with five home runs and 12 RBI.

Harper (knee) is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies,Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports.

Harper left Monday's game with a right knee contusion after being hit by a pitch and is slated to miss a second consecutive start as a result of the injury. The Nationals won't want to rush their superstar back into action before he is fully healthy.

Cespedes is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the White Sox, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN.com.

Cespedes started every game in May, but he tallied just one hit over his last six contests, so manager Terry Collins decided it was time for a day off. With Cespedes out, Juan Lagares will cover center field, and Michael Conforto will get the nod in left.

Stanton (side) remains out of the lineup Tuesday against the Pirates, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Stanton will miss a seventh consecutive game as he continues to nurse some discomfort in his side. The Marlins believe he's close to a return, however, with reports surfacing earlier in the week suggesting Stanton would likely be back sometime during the team's current series. Miami faces Pittsburgh on Wednesday and Thursday before beginning a three-game set with the Mets on Friday night.

Harper (knee) is not in the Nationals' lineup Tuesday against Philadelphia, Mark Zuckerman of MASN reports.

Harper took a pitch off of his right knee Monday and exited the game with what the team would later diagnose as a contusion. While Harper is not expected to miss significant time, he'll sit Tuesday as the Nationals attempt to avoid turning a minor injury into something that could linger. Washington will go with an outfield of Clint Robinson, Ben Revere and Jayson Werth on Tuesday.

Harper was diagnosed with a right knee contusion Monday, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports.

Harper was hit by a pitch during Monday's game against the Phillies. He remained in the game for a bit, but when his knee stiffened up, Nationals manager Dusty Baker removed Harper from the game as a precautionary measure. For now, he's considered day-to-day.