MLB Player News

Blackmon went 3-for-3 with a double, walk, two runs and an RBI in Monday's 13-2 victory over the Diamondbacks.

Blackmon has gotten off to a blazing start to September, reaching base at a .452 clip through nine games while providing six extra-base hits and three steals. He'll benefit from three more games at hitter-friendly Coors Field before the Rockies kick off a nine-game road trip Friday that could hinder Blackmon's productivity.

Belt (knee) is starting at first base and hitting second Monday against the Braves, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Belt has been cleared to rejoin the starting lineup after a sore knee limited him to bench duty over the previous two games. The veteran first baseman, who is hitting just .173/.235/.227 across 23 games since returning from the disabled list in mid-August, will face southpaw Sean Newcomb in Monday's series opener.

Pederson sits for the third straight game Monday against yet another lefty in Cody Reed and the Reds.

Pederson has largely been protected against lefties all season, and that trend continues Monday with Chris Taylor starting in left field. The Dodgers currently line up to face seven straight righties starting Tuesday, so expect to see Pederson in the lineup often over the next week.

Blackmon went 3-for-4 with two solo home runs and a double Sunday in the Rockies' 9-6 loss to the Dodgers.

Blackmon has now slugged three long balls over the Rockies' past two games, matching his total from his previous 37 appearances combined. The decline in Blackmon's power production during the second half has put him at risk of missing out on a second straight 30-homer season, but it's his starker downturn in batting average that has instead proved more damaging to fantasy owners that tabbed him in the early rounds of drafts. After hitting .324 and .331 in 2016 and 2017, respectively, Blackmon's average has dropped to .282 this season, his lowest mark since his 2011 debut campaign.

Turner went 4-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, a walk, two RBI and two runs Sunday in the Dodgers' 9-6 win over the Rockies.

After supplying a .280 on-base percentage over his past six games, Turner busted out of the slump in a major way in the series finale, reaching base in five of his six plate appearances. Despite the brief skid, Turner has remained hot for the most part since returning from the 10-day disabled list Aug. 2, supplying a 1.185 OPS and contributing 28 runs and 23 RBI over 33 contests during that stretch.

Martinez went 1-for-4 with a home run and four RBI on Sunday against the Astros.

Martinez launched a three-run homer against Dallas Keuchel in the fifth inning to record his 40th home run of the season. He has now reached the 40-home-run plateau for the second consecutive season and remains one of the premier power hitters in the game.

Pederson is out of the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Rockies, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Pederson will sit for the second straight day with left-hander Tyler Anderson taking the hill for the Rockies. Chris Taylor grabs the start in left field with Enrique Hernandez occupying center field for the series finale.

Ohtani (thigh) is in the lineup Sunday against the White Sox, acting as the designated hitter and batting fourth, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

The Japanese import came away from a home-plate collision with a thigh bruise, though it appears the issue is fairly minor. Ohtani will continue to act as the main designated hitter for the Angels in September barring further issues with his injured UCL.

Belt (knee) is not in the lineup for Sunday's series finale at Milwaukee, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Belt was scratched with a sore right knee for Saturday's game, although he did make an appearance as a pinch hitter. The lingering issue doesn't appear overly serious, but for Sunday, Ryder Jones grabs the start at first base for the Giants.

Choi is not in the lineup Sunday against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Choi has largely been shielded from lefties this season, logging just 13 at-bats against southpaws to date. As is typically the case, he'll head to the bench to avoid a lefty-on-lefty matchup with Baltimore starter Josh Rogers. Tommy Pham will slide into the designated hitter spot to replace him, allowing Carlos Gomez to join the starting nine.