MLB Player News

McCutchen will lead off and play left field Tuesday against the Red Sox in Aaron Judge's first start since returning from a broken wrist.

McCutchen has never started in left field so far in his major-league career and has only played a total of five innings there, all of which came after his trade to New York. The fact that McCutchen, a righty, starts over Brett Gardner, a lefty, despite the opposing pitcher (Nathan Eovaldi) being right-handed is a significant one, as it suggests McCutchen isn't due to lose too many at-bats down the stretch even with Judge back.

Pederson went 3-for-4 with a double, two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored in Monday's 8-2 win over the Rockies.

Pederson's first homer came off right-handed starter Jon Gray, but his second was a rare long ball off a southpaw, his first of that variety this season. The 26-year-old is unlikely to all of a sudden begin starting against lefties, but fantasy owners can live with a .251/.324/.519 slash line and 23 homers in a favorable platoon situation.

Choi went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI in Monday's win over the Rangers.

The solo shot was the 10th of the season for Choi -- the first time he's reached double digits in his career. Choi has been a pleasant surprise since coming over to Tampa as he's slugged an impressive .523 on the year, and should continue to see regular at-bats as the designated hitter.

Belt (knee) remains on the bench Monday against the Padres, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Belt has been battling a recurring knee problem and will likely require offseason surgery, though an MRI taken Saturday revealed no structural damage. With the Giants well out of the playoff race, they'll likely be very careful with Belt down the stretch. Aramis Garcia will start at first base in his absence.

Vogelbach went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in a loss to the Angels on Sunday.

After having sat altogether in eight of 10 September games while dealing with a hamstring issue, Vogelbach was a late addition to the lineup Sunday as the designated hitter in place of Nelson Cruz (illness). The 25-year-old responded with a 429-foot shot to right field in the fourth with Kyle Seager aboard that knotted the game at 3-3. Sunday marked Vogelbach's first start since returning from Triple-A Tacoma upon roster expansions, and he could be in line for another in Monday's series opener versus the Astros if Cruz's absence lingers.

Turner (wrist) started and went 2-for-4 with a double in Sunday's 5-0 loss to St. Louis.

Manager Dave Roberts revealed that Turner was dealing with a sore wrist after being hit by a pitch in Saturday's tilt, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports. The minor injury was not severe enough to hold the third baseman out of action, and his two-hit performance bodes well for his availability for the Dodgers' crucial upcoming series against the Rockies.

Ozuna went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored in the Cardinals' 5-0 victory over the Dodgers on Sunday.

Ozuna continued his red-hot hitting of recent weeks, as he's now left the yard six times in his last 12 contests. His second-half tear has pushed his stat line up to a respectable level after his prolonged struggles in the first half of the season, as Ozuna now has a .281/.322/.438 slash line to go along with 22 home runs and 81 RBI over 541 at-bats.

Ohtani tweaked his left ankle while sliding into second base Sunday against the Mariners, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Although Ohtani isn't expected to miss any time, his ankle was wrapped heavily after the game, per Hoornstra. He'll be considered day-to-day, but he'll benefit from a scheduled off-day Monday. The Angels will begin a three-game series with Oakland starting Tuesday.

Vogelbach (hamstring) will serve as the Mariners' designated hitter and bat sixth Sunday against the Angels, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

Vogelbach was a late addition to the starting lineup after Nelson Cruz was scratched with an illness. Though Vogelbach has been battling a hamstring issue of his own lately, his presence in the lineup suggests that it's not a major concern. Over his 80 plate appearances with the big club this season, Vogelbach is slashing .209/.338/.328 and has struck out 24 times (30 percent).

Belt (knee) is not in the lineup Sunday against the Rockies, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Belt will stick on the bench for a second straight game as he continues to battle a recurring knee issue. A recent MRI showed no structural damage, however, and the first baseman should be considered day-to-day. When Belt does return, he's expected to receive more frequent off days in an effort to keep him fresh. Austin Slater is starting at first base in Sunday's series finale, with Chris Shaw drawing a start in the outfield.