MLB Player News

Blackmon went 2-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored in Friday's 12-2 win over the Padres.

The veteran outfielder had a somewhat sluggish April, but Blackmon's now hit safely in eight straight games to begin May, pushing his slash line up to .301/.364/.526. He's got five homers, two steals, 21 RBI and 26 runs through 36 games, and as long as he's hitting at the top of the lineup and calling Coors Field home, Blackmon should remain a strong fantasy asset.

Soler went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and two walks in a 5-1 victory against the Phillies on Friday.

The 27-year-old has been feast or famine early this season. While he does have 10 home runs, which is already his most in three years and only two shy of his previous career high, Soler also leads the league with 53 strikeouts. His two free passes Friday are very rare for the free-swinging Soler, and as a result, he only has a .315 on-base percentage. However, behind the homers, he does own a .531 slugging percentage. He is also hitting .259 with 25 RBI and 20 runs in 147 at-bats.

Turner isn't starting Friday's game against Washington.

Turner is set for a night off after smashing four homers in his last three contests. Max Muncy will move to the hot corner and David Freese will enter the lineup at first base with Turner out of the mix.

Jimenez (ankle) ran the bases Friday and is expected to do so again either Saturday or Sunday before starting a rehab assignment, Madeline Kenney of the Chicago Sun Times reports.

Jimenez hasn't been able to run much since spraining his ankle April 26 against Detroit, so this was a big step forward for the young outfielder. Assuming he's able to run bases once more over the weekend, he'll head to a minor-league affiliate for what should be a brief rehab stint, putting him on track to return later next week.

Winker (quadriceps) is back in the lineup Friday against the Giants after missing two straight games.

Winker had been dealing with a quad strain, but the issue was considered to be minor, and he's back in action quickly as expected. The 25-year-old hasn't performed according to expectations this season, though not entirely in a bad way. He's seen his batting average drop from .299 to .237 but already has a career-high nine homers.

Vogelbach is out of the lineup for Friday's game at Boston, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Vogelbach will once again head to the bench against a left-hander as Eduardo Rodriguez takes the mound for the Red Sox. Edwin Encarnacion will serve as the designated hitter while Jay Bruce receives the start at first base Friday.

Carpenter went 2-for-4 with an RBI single, two walks and three runs in a win over the Pirates on Thursday.

Carpenter helped set the table from his leadoff spot in an offensive extravaganza for the Cardinals. The veteran infielder is hitting a modest .250 across the first nine games of May, but that still represents a notable uptick for him. Carpenter's average sat at .190 after he started the month with an 0-for-12 tally over the first three contests, but he's bounced back by going 8-for-24 with a home run, four RBI, four walks and five runs over the subsequent six outings.

Ozuna went 1-for-4 with a three-run double, an RBI fielder's choice, two walks and two runs in a win over the Pirates on Thursday.

On a night of prolific offensive efforts, Ozuna's four RBI paced the Cardinals. The slugging outfielder's .244 average has plenty of room for improvement, but he's been a run-producing machine all season. After racking up an impressive 28 RBI in April, Ozuna now has six thus far in May after snapping out of a brief 0-for-11 slump with Thursday's effort.

Pederson is not in the lineup Thursday against the Nationals, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

As per usual, Pederson will retreat to the bench for Thursday's series opener with southpaw Patrick Corbin starting for the opposition. Chris Taylor is starting in left field and hitting seventh in this one.

Jimenez (ankle) will join the White Sox in Toronto this weekend to continue his rehab program, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Rather than reporting to a minor-league affiliate for a rehab assignment, Jimenez will continue to work out on the field prior to the White Sox's games against the Blue Jays from Friday through Sunday. Once the White Sox return to Chicago on Monday, the team plans to map out a rehab schedule for the outfielder, who is bouncing back from a high right ankle sprain. The White Sox have been pleased with the progress Jimenez has made up to this point, though the rookie has yet to test out his ankle by running the bases.