MLB Player News

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle acknowledged that Andrew McCutchen's sore left knee has impacted his approach on running to first base, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

McCutchen, who is making $10 million this season, voiced his frustration after he was held without a hit in four at-bats during Tuesday's loss to Cincinnati.

"I'm sick and tired of going 0-for-freaking-4. I know I'm better than that," McCutchen said, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I'm getting paid what I'm getting paid because of the way I should be playing. Right now I'm not doing what I should be doing for the money I'm making. ... It's under mediocre right now. It's bad."

McCutchen has been dealing with a sore knee since spring training, and at one point in early April revealed that he's only at "80 percent." He began the year hitting .238 (10 for 42) with two doubles, two homers and 10 RBI over his first 12 games. However, over his last 13 games, the former MVP has hit only .140 (7 for 50) with a triple and three RBI.

After Tuesday's game, he reassured that injury is not the main factor for his issues at the plate.

"I feel good, I feel strong when I'm up there. I feel fine when I'm hitting," McCutchen said. "I can't sit here and say my knee is the reason. I don't believe so. I just believe I’m a little off. ... Once it's going, it ain't gonna stop. While I'm down, get me while I'm down."

Nationals third baseman Yunel Escobar hit from the No. 3 position in manager Matt Williams' lineup on Wednesday. It was the first time this season that Escobar hit third in the batting order, as Williams shuffled the order a bit for the matinee matchup against the Marlins.

Escobar continues to hit well in 2015, though he did go hitless in three at-bats on Tuesday.

Shortstop Ian Desmond was moved up to the second spot in the lineup, while Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman returned to their normal spots, batting fourth and fifth respectively on Wednesday. 

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter hit a three-run, game-tying home run in the fifth inning of Tuesday's win over the Cubs. 

Carpenter went 1 for 3 and is hitting .346 this year. He has five home runs and added a fourth RBI later in the game to give him 20 on the season. 

Pirates centerfielder Andrew McCutchen went 0 for 4 on Tuesday to drop his batting average to .185 through 92 at-bats.

McCutchen, the 2013 National League MVP, said after Tuesday's loss to the Reds that he doesn't need time off but avoided answering if he was injured.

“Right now I’m not doing what I should be doing for the money I’m making," McCutchen said. "Right now, it's under mediocre right now ... It's bad and I know I'm better than that."

Justin Turner drove in four of the Dodgers' eight runs in Tuesday's win over Milwaukee. The third baseman went 3 for 4, lifting his average to .333. His three-run home run in the sixth inning put the Dodgers on top to stay. 

Turner now has six homers and 10 RBI. 

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle acknowledged Tuesday that center fielder Andrew McCutchen is picking his spots to run to first base on batted balls to limit the wear on his knee, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

"I don't think it's a concerning area right now," Hurdle said about McCutchen's knee.

"I think Andrew has already figured out some ways to do some different things," Hurdle said of McCutchen handling the discomfort, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I think the more we talk about his physical presence being diminished, I think we're (headed) in the wrong direction."

McCutchen has struggled in the early part of the season while dealing with the health issues. He's hit just .193/.291/.307 with two home runs and 13 RBI in 88 at-bats.

Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner and left fielder Alex Guerrero are in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Brewers.

Turner is batting fifth while drawing his first start in three games. Juan Uribe will head to the bench with Turner in the lineup.

Guerrero is batting eight and manning left field for the third time since Carl Crawford was placed on the disabled list. His presence in the lineup sends Scott Van Slyke to the bench.

The Dodgers are heavy road favorites (-165) Tuesday.

Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler returned to the starting lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Cardinals. Soler was hitting in the cleanup spot for the first time this season, as manager Joe Maddon did some juggling in his batting order.

Third baseman Kris Bryant was batting third on Tuesday, after hitting cleanup in each of his first 16 games of the year.

Phillies first baseman Darin Ruf made just his second start in the cleanup slot Monday and rewarded manager Ryne Sandberg's decision by going 3 for 5 with a double and two runs scored in his team's 5-2 win over the Braves.

Ruf, who's other start as a cleanup hitter came in the first week of the season, saw himself bumped to the No. 3 spot over the weekend, and after going 3 for 7 with a walk and a home run in two games in that role, he was in the No. 4 slot Monday.

Ruf had just a .139 batting average and .506 OPS heading into the weekend but is now hitting .229/.296/.438 with two home runs and five RBI in 48 at-bats.

Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter has been off to a hot start this season. 

However, in Monday night's 10-9 win over the Cubs, Carpenter's bat was missing in action. Carpenter finished the game 0 for 5 with two strikeouts. This is only the fourth time this season in 24 games that Carpenter has gone without a hit. 

This is also the first time in 2015 that Carpenter recorded less than two hits in five at-bats in a single game. 

He now holds a slash line of .347/.412/.624.