MLB Player News

Ohtani will serve as the Angels' designated hitter and bat cleanup Sunday against the Giants. The Angels also announced that Ohtani would make his next start on the mound Tuesday in Houston, according to Jake Kaplan of The Athletic Houston.

Ohtani has previously hit no higher than sixth in the order for the Angels, but manager Mike Scioscia will give the Japanese phenom a look in more of a run-producing role with Albert Pujols resting for the series finale. The 23-year-old is expected to keep receiving at least a couple starts per week as a designated hitter against mostly right-handed pitching, which should help him avoid extended slumps at the plate. As for the pitching side, Ohtani will likely continue to start once a week while the Angels deploy a six-man rotation. He exited his previous turn April 17 with a blister, but after staying on his normal throwing schedule and hitting without any issues Friday, Ohtani isn't expected to face any restrictions in his return to the mound.

Ozuna is not in the lineup Sunday against the Reds.

Ozuna, who has just one hit in his last 18 at-bats, will be given Sunday off for the second straight week. The sample size is still relatively small, but the former Marlin is off to a brutal start at the plate this season. His walk rate is down, his strikeout rate is up and he's hitting for considerably less power than he did in previous seasons. He'll hopefully begin heating up with the weather moving forward, but the early results are disappointing. Tyler O'Neill draws the start in left field Sunday.

Buxton (head) will begin a rehab assignment Sunday with High-A Fort Myers and could be activated from the 10-day disabled list Wednesday when first eligible, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

It sounds like Buxton is progressing as expected since being shut down a few days earlier after experiencing migraines. After taking batting practice Saturday with no complications, Buxton will serve as the designated hitter Sunday before playing the outfield the following two days. If all goes well, Buxton will likely rejoin the Twins in the Bronx in advance of the final two contests of Minnesota's four-game series with the Yankees.

Belt went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer against the Angels on Saturday.

Belt took start Garrett Richards deep in the second inning to record his fourth home run of the season. His current .519 slugging percentage is a relative surge in power and is the result of him pulling the ball in the air at a higher rate in the early going. It remains to be seen if this something he can carry forward, but if it is, he may be a good source of power tis year.

Pederson went 2-for-4 with a solo homer Saturday against the Nationals.

The Dodgers shifted around their lineup Saturday, moving Chris Taylor to second base, which gave Pederson a rare spot in the starting lineup. He took advantage of the opportunity, hitting his first home run of the season, coming off Stephen Strasburg in the second inning. Due to a lack of playing time, Pederson is only a viable option in exceptionally deep leagues despite his name value.

Ohtani is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Giants.

Ohtani went 2-for-4 at the plate Friday after his three-strikeout performance Thursday but will head to the bench against Giants left-hander Derek Holland. The 23-year-old has faced some southpaws this season with minimal success -- 2-for-12 with three strikeouts -- but at this point the Angels appear likely to go matchup-to-matchup on starting against left-handed pitching. Ohtani is also expected to throw a bullpen session sometime this weekend in preparation for his next potential start on the mound, currently slated for Tuesday in Houston.

Martinez will serve as designated hitter and bat cleanup against the Athletics on Saturday, Sean McAdam of BostonSportsJournal.com reports.

Martinez received the day off Friday after being lifted for a pinch runner late in Thursday's game, but there was never any indication of an injury. The 30-year-old will look to continue with his hot bat, as he's 13-for-24 with three doubles, two home runs and five RBI over his last six games.

Buxton (migraines) took batting practice Saturday, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Manager Paul Molitor said Buxton has exhibited slight improvement since being placed on the 10-day disabled list last Wednesday with migraine issues, and Saturday's batting practice is the first indication of his progress. It remains to be seen if the 24-year-old will return from the DL when eligible Wednesday or if a minor-league rehab appearance is on the table.

Carpenter will hit atop the order and play third base against the Reds on Saturday.

This marks the first time all season that Carpenter will serve as the leadoff hitter for manager Mike Matheny. He has typically been utilized out of the three hole, but was second in the order for Friday's series opener. Over 18 appearances in 2018, Carpenter is hitting just .177/.329/.323 with two home runs and 10 RBI.

McCutchen went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run to help the Giants to an 8-1 victory over the Angels on Friday.

It's been a slow start for the first-year Giant, who is still slashing just .213/.280/.373 despite getting his third long ball of the year. McCutchen has shown a propensity for bouncing back after rough starts in the past, so it's still too early to be reading much into the early-season struggles of a hitter who has a .290 average and an .863 OPS over the last decade. Cutch ended up slashing .279/.363/.486 after a similarly slow start last year.