MLB Player News

Blackmon went 1-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored in a 4-3 win over the Dodgers on Sunday.

It was Blackmon's first extra-base hit since his last homer on July 31. He currently leads the National League with 86 runs scored despite his disappointing .276 average across 453 at-bats.

Belt (knee) is likely to be activated off the disabled list for Tuesday's game against the Dodgers, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Belt is currently on a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento as he returns from a bone bruise. The veteran first baseman will avoid Dodgers' ace Clayton Kershaw, who is set to take the mound Monday. Belt was slashing .278/.372/.470 with 14 home runs prior to landing on the disabled list.

Ohtani's (elbow) next bullpen session will come Monday according to manager Mike Scioscia, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic Los Angeles reports.

Ohtani's elbow is holding up fine enough for hitting (as evidenced by his name in the lineup Sunday as the designated hitter), but it seems like he's also ramping up his pitching. Ardaya commented that the catcher will be squatting in Monday's session and Scioscia said that his throwing will be "a little more than touch and feel" in terms of intensity. It's unclear how close Ohtani is to throwing in games again, but it seems like a return to the mound this season isn't entirely out of the question as things stand now.

Pederson is not in the lineup for Sunday's series finale at Colorado, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Pederson finds himself out of the lineup for the second straight game and fourth time in the last six games. The 26-year-old could find playing time hard to come by this week as the Dodgers could face left-handed starters in five of their next six contests.

Turner is out of the lineup for Sunday's series finale at Colorado, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Turner has a modest six-game hit streak (.417/.481/.583) but will get a day off Sunday. Manny Machado shifts to third base with Chris Taylor at shortstop for the Dodgers.

Ozuna went 2-for-5 with an RBI triple and a run in a win over the Royals on Saturday.

Ozuna's second-inning three-bagger was his second of the season, and he's now hit safely in five of the last six games. The outfielder seems to have rediscovered his stroke at the plate after generating a lackluster .210 average in July, as Saturday's production pushed his August average to .317 (13-for-41) over his first 10 games of the month.

Soler (toe) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list Saturday, Rustin Dodd of The Athletic Kansas City reports.

The move won't change much for Soler, who will still be eligible to come off the disabled list next week, although that is extremely unlikely. The 26-year-old is not near a minor-league rehab assignment and is looking at a return in late August, at the absolute earliest.

Martinez went 2-for-2 with two home runs, three RBI and two walks in the second game of a doubleheader against the Orioles on Saturday.

After falling flat with an 0-for-4 outing in Game 1, Martinez popped one off Yefry Ramirez in the fourth inning and Mike Wright in the seventh. Delivering a .332/.400/.666 slash line with 37 homers, 104 RBI and 87 runs -- accumulated across just 487 plate appearances -- Martinez has launched himself into the American League MVP conversation.

Brantley went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and a double in the Indians' 3-1 win over the White Sox on Saturday.

Brantley took a meatball of a James Shields curveball into the right-field bullpen during the sixth inning. His 13th homer of the year topped off a three-knock effort that pushed his slash line up to .297/.349/.468 over 458 plate appearances. He's added eight stolen bases and 32 walks while striking out only 38 times.

Stanton went 2-for-3 with a solo homer, a walk and a pair of runs in Saturday's victory over the Rangers.

The homer, Stanton's 29th of the year, opened the scoring in the first inning off Drew Hutchison. He also singled and scored in the seventh. Stanton is very unlikely to get anywhere close to the 59 homers he hit last season, but he only needs nine more the rest of the way to post the second-highest total of his career. A second straight season with at least 40 home runs is very much within reach.