MLB Player News

Ohtani (back/finger) is not in the lineup Monday against the Rangers.

Ohtani's return to the mound lasted just 2.1 innings Sunday before he was pulled due to back stiffness and a sore finger. It's unclear whether or not those issues will prevent him from hitting for a few days, as he was always going to sit the day after pitching. The severity of the issue should become clearer once it's known whether or not he'll miss an additional game.

Jimenez will not be called up this season, James Fegan of The Athletic Chicago reports.

The White Sox refuted reports Sunday that Jimenez wasn't going to be called up, but general manager Rick Hahn confirmed the reports Monday. The team claims that Jimenez's defense is the reason he'll remain in the minors, but it's quite obvious that service-time concerns are the primary reason. That likely means that Jimenez will be held down for the first few weeks of 2019, only for his defense to be suddenly deemed adequate.

Belt is not in the lineup Monday against the Rockies due to right knee soreness, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Chase d'Arnaud is starting at first base in Belt's absence, while the Giants are listing the 30-year-old as day-to-day. Belt spent some time on the disabled list last month with an injury to the same knee, so the Giants figure to proceed cautiously with him.

Belt is not in the lineup Monday against the Rockies, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Belt will take a seat on the bench for Monday's series opener with a southpaw in Tyler Anderson toeing the rubber for the Rockies. Chase d'Arnaud is starting at first base and hitting second in his stead.

Ohtani (elbow) was removed from his start Sunday against the Astros in the third inning after experiencing with back stiffness and a sore right middle finger, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. He had allowed two runs on two hits and two walks while fanning two over 2.1 frames.

Taking the mound for the first time since June 6, Ohtani looked good through one inning, but unraveled afterward. He took a ground ball off his right hand early in the outing before his back acted up, prompting the Angels to pull him after just 49 pitches. After the game, Angels manager Mike Scioscia stated he believed these two issues were the reason for the drop in velocity that Ohtani experienced in the second and third innings, and that his left elbow is fine. The Angels hope Ohtani will be ready to make his next start, which is tentatively set for Sept. 9 against the White Sox, per Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register.

Blackmon went 3-for-5 with a double, a run scored and one RBI in Sunday's 7-3 win over the Padres.

Blackmon had a rough August, batting just .226 (24-for-106) with a pair of home runs but already has four hits in September. He owns a .821 OPS with 23 homers and 97 runs scored this season, which is a pretty strong performance for most players but feels a bit lacking for the 32-year-old.

Martinez will receive one or two days off during Boston's upcoming three-game series at Atlanta, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Martinez has started 37 of 39 games since the All-Star break, so manager Alex Cora likely just wants to give him a game or two to rest up for the final month of the regular season. The veteran slugger is slashing .352/.433/.655 with 10 home runs in those games as the Red Sox return to Boston for a series against the Astros next weekend.

Soler (toe) returned from his minor-league rehab assignment Sunday and has been shut down from baseball activities, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

Soler started the rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha last Monday but recently suffered a setback, jeopardizing his potential return this season. The Royals were already planning to utilize the 28-year-old exclusively as a designated hitter upon his return, and it would make little sense to rush him back if there is any concern whatsoever. Soler hasn't played a major-league game since mid-June, and he seems unlikely to return in September.

Ozuna will start in left field and bat cleanup Sunday against the Reds.

Ozuna didn't start Saturday in his first game back from the 10-disabled list, but the 27-year-old should be in store for a full-time role in September as the Cardinals look to secure a spot in the playoffs. His return from the DL will likely translate to fewer at-bats for rookie Tyler O'Neill, who will head to the bench Sunday.

Stanton is not in the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Tigers.

Stanton has been a mainstay in the Yankees lineup as the team has dealt with numerous injuries, starting 84 consecutive games going back to late May. New acquisition Andrew McCutchen grabs the start in right field while Gary Sanchez -- fresh off the disabled list -- will serve as designated hitter. The 28-year-old slugger and his 33 home runs should return to the lineup when the Yankees travel to Oakland on Monday.