MLB Player News

Pederson went 3-for-4 with a double in Sunday's 6-4 win over Colorado.

Pederson's three-hit day upped his slash line to .268/.348/.548 through 76 games. The 26-year-old had been receiving sporadic playing time over the first half of the season, but that is about to change following Sunday's announcement of a lineup shuffle. Manager Dave Roberts named Max Muncy the club's primary second baseman against right-handed starters, which will allow Cody Bellinger to move back to first base and open up center field to Pederson. The young slugger will still cede starts to Enrique Hernandez and Bellinger against southpaws, but this development gives Pederson a clear path to semi-regular playing time.

Belt went 2-for-3 with three walks, a double and two RBI on Sunday against the Diamondbacks.

Belt walked a season-high three times and has now earned a walk in four consecutive games, raising his on-base percentage to .393 for the season. Despite slumping initially after coming off the disabled list, Belt has now recorded 14 hits in 55 at-bats since June 16 and has two multi-hit performances in his past four games.

Jimenez exited Triple-A Charlotte's game Sunday with an apparent leg injury.

Jimenez went 1-for-2 at the dish before being lifted from the game. He was removed after flying out to right field in the second inning. The severity of the injury remains unclear, though more information should be released in the near future. Jimenez is widely viewed as Chicago's No. 1 minor-league prospect.

Blackmon is out of the lineup Sunday against the Dodgers, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

There aren't any reports that an injury is in play for Blackmon, so his absence likely stems from his poor form at the plate of late. Blackmon has gone 4-for-28 over the past seven games and hasn't received an off-day since May 15, so manager Bud Black decided the two-time All-Star could benefit from a breather. Raimel Tapia will cover center field with Blackmon on the bench.

Miller will start at shortstop and serve as the Brewers' leadoff man in Sunday's game against the Reds.

Miller has appeared in all seven of the Brewers' games since being recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs on June 23, starting in five of them. He'll draw his fourth straight start Sunday and appears to be the club's primary shortstop for the time being, with the demotion of Orlando Arcia to Triple-A prior to the series finale giving Miller additional job security. Miller will also lead off for the third consecutive game, though he'll be at risk at dropping in the order if Lorenzo Cain (groin) returns from the disabled list Wednesday against the Twins when first eligible, as is expected.

Ohtani (elbow) will take live batting practice Sunday and is expected to be activated from the 10-day disabled list at some point during the upcoming week, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Ohtani endured no complications with his sprained right elbow while taking batting practice Friday and hitting in a simulated game Saturday, so he'll face live pitching again Sunday with the hope of proving to the Angels that he's ready for reinstatement. The right-hander has yet to resume a throwing program and isn't expected to take part in any mound work until at least late July, as the Angels will re-evaluate him after the All-Star break to see if a platelet-rich plasma injection has alleviated the pain he's experiencing in his elbow. It appears the injury won't hinder him at the plate, however, so Ohtani should soon be available to serve as the primary designated hitter for the Angels. He could be activated as soon as Tuesday, when the team opens a three-game series with the Mariners.

Winker is out of the lineup Sunday against the Brewers, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

After starting the first three games of the series, Winker will head to the bench in favor of Adam Duvall (left) and Scott Schebler (right). It was a productive June for the 24-year-old outfielder, as Winker had a .944 OPS with five home runs and 20 RBI.

McCutchen went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and two runs scored Saturday against the Diamondbacks.

McCutchen's slugging percentage and batting average both increased significantly throughout June, so it was appropriate the he ended the month on a strong note. He has 12 three-hit performances and six home runs in the past 30 days, so it appears that he may once again break out of an early-season slump to post solid season-long numbers.

Martinez went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored in a win over the Yankees on Saturday.

Martinez joined the party against Sonny Gray and the mop-up members of New York's bullpen. While he didn't leave the yard in this one, the three-hit effort broke his 0-or-7 slide from his previous two contests, and he keeps his perch as the major-league leader with 25 homers while increasing his MLB-best RBI total to 67. It's been another phenomenal season for the 30-year-old that should book him for an All-Star spot.

Turner will get the day off Saturday against the Rockies.

Turner has eight hits and three homers in his last last 19 at-bats but will nonetheless take a seat. Max Muncy will slide over to third base in his place.