MLB Player News

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter went 2 for 5 Saturday with a two-run shot, his 24th home run of the season.

It's his third homer, sixth extra-base hit, and third multi-hit performance in his last four games. With the Cardinals having already locked up a playoff spot, Carpenter seems to be heating up at the right time.

Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes went 0 for 4 with a strikeout Saturday against the Yankees and is now in an 0 for 17 slide.

A slump should not be that surprising after seeing Cespedes rip the cover off the ball the first five weeks after the Mets acquired him. As a way to snap him out of the slide, the Mets may move Cespedes down in the order, but that is not set in stone.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt was diagnosed with concussion symptoms Saturday and is expected to miss multiple games, Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area reports.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Belt likely sustained the head injury during a collision at second base earlier in the week. Belt passed all his preliminary tests, but the concussion symptoms didn't surface until after Friday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Belt missed time with a pair of concussions last season, so expect the Giants to proceed cautiously with him while he deals with yet another setback on that front. Regular catcher Buster Posey is filling in for Belt at first base in Saturday's game, but look for Nick Noonan and perhaps Ehire Adrianza to also see reps at the position if Belt is forced to miss extended time.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks.

This will snap a streak of nine straight starts for Belt, with Buster Posey moving from behind the plate to cover first base. It's not a surprise Belt is getting rest for this game, considering Arizona has left-hander Patrick Corbin on the mound.

Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler is in the lineup, playing right field and hitting second, for Saturday's game against the Cardinals. Soler was activated from the DL on Thursday, but will be making his first actual start Saturday.

It could be that he is finally feeling 100 percent and ready to play everyday, but there's also the fact that Joe Maddon sat most of his left-handed hitters, which could have pushed a slightly dinged-up Soler into the lineup. The following few games could be an indication about Soler's true status with the team.

Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes will be seeking a contract of at least six years when he becomes a free agent after the season, Marly Rivera of ESPN New York reports.

This demand is not a big surprise, as it's in line with what many in the industry believe Cespedes should be able to garner as a free agent. Cespedes could receive a deal between $125-160 million, depending on the length of the contract. Since joining the Mets, Cespedes has hit .295 with 17 home runs and 42 RBI and New York is 30-13 in that span.

Marlins third baseman Martin Prado was scratched from Friday's lineup against the Nationals, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Prado was initially slated to serve his usual third base duties and bat third, but a late lineup change has Derek Dietrich sliding over the third with Marcell Ozuna now in the lineup instead. It's unclear exactly why the change was made, but further news on the situation should become available.

Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna is not in the lineup Friday against the Nationals, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Ozuna has been receiving regular starts in the outfield, but will get his second day off in five games Friday. Ichiro Suzuki will get the start in right field, batting seventh.

Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (hand) has put his rehab on hold due to an "abnormal amount" of scar tissue in the area where his hamate bone was removed, the Miami Herald reports.

Stanton took batting practice earlier in the week and visited with a hand specialist after he continued to have trouble with the strength of the wrist. The scar tissue could reportedly impact his siwng for the entirety of the offseason, so despite Stanton's optimism, he is extremely unlikely to return before the close of the season. For now, his 2016 prospects are not in jeopardy, but it will be important to track Stanton's rehab as we move into the winter.

Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler (oblique) will be available for the game Thursday against Pittsburgh, per Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago.

He is not starting, but after helping Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach win the Carolina League championship, he is ready to help the Cubs down the stretch. Look for him to get back in the lineup playing right field sometime this weekend.