MLB Player News

Phillies outfielder/first baseman Darin Ruf was unable to homer for a fourth straight game Sunday against the Diamondbacks, but he did manage at least one RBI for a fourth straight game. Ruf, who has nine August home runs, is batting .320 (8 for 25) with one double, three home runs and six RBI during a five-game hitting streak.

After getting a rest Tuesday, Cardinals second baseman Matt Carpenter has returned to the team's starting lineup Wednesday against the Brewers.

Carpenter will assume the leadoff spot again. He missed Tuesday's game in order to get Kolten Wong and David Freese playing time. Carpenter is hitting .312/.385/.474 in 481 at-bats. 

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton continued to show signs of waking up Tuesday, as he picked up three hits in a 6-4 loss to the Dodgers. 

Stanton, who extended his hitting streak to a modest seven games in the outing, went 3 for 5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. He is now hitting .215 in the month of August, though his average is .333 in 30 at-bats during his hitting streak. 

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt made up for some lost time Tuesday, snapping a three-game hitting streak with a three-hit game.

Belt went 3 for 4 while ending up a home run short of the cycle. He had a double and a triple as part of his game, but ended up with no runs drive in or scored in a 3-2 win over the Red Sox.

Belt is hitting .276 on the season, but has been red hot with a .379 average in the month of August. 

Cardinals second baseman Matt Carpenter is not in the team's starting lineup Tuesday against the Brewers.

Carpenter will be replaced at second by Kolten Wong. David Freese will take Wong's normal spot at third. Carpenter is hitting .312/.383/.474 in 481 at-bats. 

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton clubbed his 15th home run Monday against the Dodgers. 

Stanton added the the team's lead in the eighth inning, hitting a solo shot off Chris Withrow. He also added a single, finishing the game 2 for 4. He's hitting .241/.353/.452 in 294 at-bats. 

The Marlins transferred outfielder Marcell Ozuna (thumb) from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list Monday. Ozuna is out for the season after having thumb surgery.

Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter, who leads the NL with 41 doubles, is close to becoming the first St. Louis player to reach 50 doubles since Albert Pujols had 51 in 2004 and first to lead the league since Pujols had 51 in 2003.

"That would be great," Carpenter said, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "It’s not something I’m thinking about because you can’t think about stuff like that. But if that would happen, that would be a cool thing."

Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon recorded a two-hit game in Sunday's loss to Baltimore.

Blackmon finished 2 for 4 with a single, a double, a run scored, an RBI and his fifth stolen base in the losing effort. Blackmon is hitting .259/.286/.417 in 108 at-bats.

Phillies outfielder Darin Ruf connected for a solo home run Sunday against the Dodgers. It was his eighth home run and second in four games.

Ruf, who walked once Sunday, is batting .236 (13 for 55) with six home runs and nine RBI in 16 August games.