MLB Player News

Ozuna was scratched from Wednesday's game against the Pirates due to right side tightness, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest reports.

Manager Mike Shildt downplayed the severity of the injury, per Hayes, noting the Cardinals simply wanted to get Ozuna checked out while adding that the team isn't concerned about a possible long-term absence. Jose Martinez will start in left field and bat cleanup in his place. Ozuna should be considered day-to-day for now.

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

As has been the case all season, Pederson will retreat to the bench with a southpaw (Derek Holland) toeing the rubber for the opposition. Chris Taylor will start in left field and hit seventh in this one.

Buxton (back) entered Wednesday's game against the Royals as a pinch runner and stole his first base of the season.

Buxton was unable to start the game after suffering a back contusion in Tuesday's contest, but the injury is evidently not serious enough to sideline him completely or keep him from being active on the basepaths. With an off day Thursday, Buxton would appear to have a good chance to get back in the lineup Friday against the Phillies.

Ozuna, who has only one extra-base hit and has struck out eight times in his first 22 plate appearances, has seen a significant decline in hard contact thus far this season, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.

Following offseason shoulder surgery, Ozuna declared himself as healthy has he'd been in years this spring. The authority with which he's hitting the ball suggests otherwise. Ozuna's current 15.4 percent hard-contact rate ranks in the bottom seven percent of National League hitters, and he's registered an exit velocity of over 101 mph on only one ball in play thus far. However, Langosch reports the Cardinals appear set on keeping Ozuna in the cleanup spot for the time being.

Miller is not starting Wednesday's game against the White Sox, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.

In addition to Miller, fellow lefty hitters Tyler Naquin and Jake Bauers will check out of the starting nine with southpaw Carlos Rodon on the bump for the Pale Hose. Max Moroff will fill in for Miller at second base.

Buxton (back) is out of Wednesday's lineup against the Royals, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

He crashed into the center field wall and suffered a bruised back in Tuesday's game, and manager Rocco Baldelli intimated after the game that they might give Buxton a day or two before evaluating him again. The Twins have a well-timed off day Thursday, so the hope is that a couple days off will be all Buxton needs before returning Friday against the Phillies. Jake Cave is starting in right field while Max Kepler slides over to center field.

Vogelbach went 2-for-3 with a double and a solo home run in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Angels.

Getting the start at DH and hitting eighth, Vogelbach was the surprise hero when he took Luis Garcia deep in the eighth inning for the winning run. Tuesday's hits were his first of the year, but with Edwin Encarnacion dealing with a sore hand, Vogelbach figures to see regular playing time in the short term -- giving him a chance to build on this performance.

Buxton suffered a contusion on his back in Tuesday's win over Kansas City and hopes to play Wednesday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Buxton left Tuesday's game after running into the center field wall trying to make a catch in the eighth inning. It sounds like he avoided a major injury, but he'll likely need a day or two off.

Harper went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run and three RBI in Tuesday's 8-2 win over the Nationals.

Harper was booed heartily upon his return to Washington but that didn't stop him from continuing to crush the baseball Tuesday. The former MVP put an exclamation point on the evening with his two-run blast during the eighth inning, which traveled an estimated 458 feet. The 26-year-old is 6-for-14 with two doubles, three home runs, five RBI and five walks through four games.

Buxton left Tuesday's game against Kansas City due to a sore back after running into the center field wall trying to make a catch in the eighth inning, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

The move was labeled as precautionary, but any injury is a worry with the oft-injured Buxton. He did finish the inning but didn't come out for the ninth inning.