MLB Player News

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen returned to the starting lineup Friday night against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

McCutchen, who dealt with a lower-body injury earlier this spring, left Wednesday's Grapefruit League contest in the eighth after losing his footing on home plate. He is hitting .321 (9 for 24) this spring.

Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon isn't focused on increasing his power numbers in 2015 after falling one home run shy of 20 during his breakout season in 2014. Blackmon is slated to hit leadoff for Colorado.

"Power, whatever. I don't look at the game that way," Blackmon said, per The Denver Post. "I just want to be standing on first base when those guys come up to hit. Maybe second base.

"If I run into some home runs, that's good too. But the value I bring to the team is to be on base, maybe distract the pitcher with a few stolen bases here and there and maybe the guy behind me gets more fastballs."

Blackmon had 13 of his 19 home runs at hitter-friendly Coors Field last season and all 19 of his home runs came out of the leadoff spot.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen didn't run out a ground ball in the eighth inning of Wednesday's game and left the field slowly before being officially replaced in the game, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

McCutchen, who dealt with a lower-body injury earlier this spring, said he was fine after coming out of the game. He indicated that he slipped on the plate and throttled things back just to be safe. The outfielder finished the game 1 for 4 at the plate.

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Monday outfielder Darin Ruf is not a lock to make the Opening Day roster, per The News Journal. Amaro added sending Ruf to Triple-A to play every day is not ideal, but it is possible.

Ruf is batting .220 (11 for 50) with two doubles, two home runs, two RBI, two walks, five runs and 11 strikeouts in 18 spring games.

Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson still doesn't know what his role will be when Opening Day rolls around, but he's showing he belongs on the roster, reports MLB.com.

"There's always stuff I need to work on, and I need to continue to impress," Pederson said after launching his fifth home run of the spring Saturday, boosting his batting average to .373.

Manager Don Mattingly remains quiet on what he will do when the decision has to be made, but Pederson is doing what he can to impress.

"[Opening Day] is out of my control," Pederson said. "It's something you dream about as a kid, playing in the big leagues, and you do anything you can to make that dream come true."

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper remained in the game after slipping on the warning track while fielding a ball on Saturday, according to masnsports.com.

The same report stated that Harper was flexing his right hand after bracing his fall while tracking down a ball. Manager Matt Williams said that Harper is fine.

Harper, 22, is hitting .233 this spring with two homers and nine strikeouts.

With the No. 2 spot still undecided in the Cubs' lineup, manager Joe Maddon said outfielder Jorge Soler could be the man for the job, according to MLB.com.

“He’s a really interesting baseball player,” Maddon said. “I’d heard good things, but his impression on me has been really strong.”

Outfielder Chris Coghlan has been the frontrunner for the role but Maddon likes Soler's plate discipline.

“With [Soler], it goes beyond his power. This guy looks over a baseball now. This guy has great decision-making ability at the plate," Maddon said. That bleeds into either you’re driving in the second leadoff hitter plus one, or he’s setting up somebody after him because the guy is going to take his walks."

Soler is hitting .333 this spring with three home runs, eight doubles and 20 RBI.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly still hasn't awarded the center field job to anyone. 

With a week to go in spring training, Andre Ethier and Joc Pederson are still vying for the starting role. Mattingly said he hasn't made a decision, "Because I don't have to yet," per MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. 

Pederson is hitting .375 with nine RBI this spring. Ethier is at .333, also with nine RBI. 

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper returned to the spring lineup Friday against the Cardinals after sitting out Thursday due to an illness. Harper is batting .231 (6 for 26) with one double, one home run, three RBI, five runs, seven strikeouts and 10 walks in 12 spring games.

Nationals manager Matt Williams said outfielder Bryce Harper was held out of Thursday's spring lineup against the Mets due to a stomach illness. Harper is batting .231 (6 for 26) with one double, one home run, three RBI, five runs, seven strikeouts and 10 walks in 12 spring games.

“He was really feeling bad yesterday, and then today he’s still not feeling well,” Williams said, per NatsInsider.com. “He came in, did a little bit of light swinging in the cage, and he’s still not feeling good. So we sent him home again (Thursday). I think he’ll be OK to go (Friday). But we wanted to get him out of here and not get anybody else sick at this point.”