MLB Player News

Bryce Harper, who missed Saturday's game due to back soreness from getting hit with a pitch on Friday, remains questionable for Sunday's series finale, per The Washington Post. 

Harper, who was drilled between the numbers with a fastball late in Friday's contest, underwent "lots of treatment," according to Nationals manager Matt Williams during Saturday's game but remains sore. 

Harper said he has a bone bruise, and that when he swung a bat, he could feel the pain. He wants to wait for his back to heal so he doesn't alter his swing mechanics, according to the Post. Harper owns a five-game hitting streak, during which he has two home runs to give him 18 on the season. He's hitting .328/.468/.733 so far this season. 

Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton is officially the Mets' worst night mare. Stanton drilled two home runs on Saturday, as the Marlins won 9-5. 

Stanton first launched a solo shot off Jonathon Niese in the second inning to put the Fish up 3-1. Then, with the Marlins already up 7-5, Stanton added another solo home run, 466-foot bomb in the ninth inning. That's the longest home run in the history of CitiField.

"Since I've started here, they've brought the fences in a couple of times," Stanton said, per MLB.com. "That's always good for us. I feel like it plays fair, except for left field. It's a little close. But the rest plays a little fair."

Overall, Stanton went 2 for 4 with the two bombs, as his batting average now rests at .232 for the season.

Stanton now has 15 longballs this year, with five of them coming against the Mets.

A sore back has cost sizzling Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper a start Saturday night in Cincinnati, per MASNSports.com.

The issue was the result of a hit-by-pitch off a fastball thrown Friday by Tony Cingrani.

Harper owns a five-game hitting streak, during which he has two home runs to give him 18 on the season. He boasts a sensational slash line of .328/.468/.733.

Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler made his only hit of Friday's game count. Soler went deep with a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, but it was not enough as the Cubs fell to the Royals 8-4.

Soler's home run was his fourth of the season and just his first since May 8. He had been hitless in his previous three games and now sports a .276 batting average on the season.

A matchup against Phillies premier left-hander Cole Hamels has Rockies leadoff hitter and center fielder Charlie Blackmon grabbing some pine Friday night.

Brandon Barnes is set to take over both those spots.

Blackmon is just 8-for-51 against southpaws this season and hitless in four at-bats lifetime against Hamels.

This will mark only his fourth absence from the lineup this season.

Pirates OF Andrew McCutchen went 3 for 5 at the plate to help lead the Pirates to an 11-5 victory over the Padres on Thursday.

McCutchen drove in two runs and scored two during the contest. Prior to his three-hit game Thursday, McCutchen was hitting .382 with three home runs and five RBI in his last nine games.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt drove in the only run the Giants would need during a 7-0 win over the Braves on Thursday.

Belt hit a solo home run off Braves starter Shelby Miller in the sixth inning to give the Giants a 1-0 lead, which they would not relinquish. Belt finished the game 2 for 4 with two runs scored and one RBI. He is now batting .305 on the season.

Prior to his two-hit game Thursday, Belt was hitting .347 with five home runs and 13 RBI in his last 12 games.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper continued his hot streak in the month of May. 

In Wednesday night's 3-0 win over the Cubs, Harper hit his 17th home run of the season in the sixth inning. Harper hit the homer off of Jon Lester nad blasted it into deep left center field. 

For Harper, that's his 13th homer in the month of May. He finished the game 1 for 3 with two walks, giving him 42 walks for the year. Harper is now hitting .331/.470/.745 for the year. 

Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon connected for his seventh home run during a 6-4 win Wednesday at Cincinnati. Blackmon parked a two-run homer off Mike Leake in the second inning, giving Colorado a 5-1 lead.

Blackmon, who went 1 for 4 with one walk, has homered twice in his last six games. However, he is batting just .176 (12 for 68) with five RBI in his last 19 games. His batting average has dropped from .317 to .262 in that span.

Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler is out of the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Nationals, the team announced.

It will be just Soler's second day off of the season after starting 21 consecutive games. Junior Lake will draw just his fourth start of the year and bat sixth. Soler is hitting .273 with 16 RBI in 176 at-bats this season. The Cubs are currently the underdogs (+105) against Washington.