MLB Player News

Winker was recalled by the Reds on Friday and could be set to make his major-league debut this weekend against the Brewers.

Winker has picked up right where he left off at Triple-A Louisville this season, hitting .323 with five RBI after slashing .303/.397/.384 in the 2016 campaign. The 23-year-old is considered one of the Reds' most valuable prospects, known for his low strikeout rate, high OBP and ability to find the gaps. His power-hitting capacity leaves much to be desired, but Winker was bothered by a wrist injury last season and was not in a favorable hitting environment at Triple-A, so the move to Great American Ball Park could lead to more power than some might expect. Winker should serve as the Reds' primary right fielder going forward.

Ozuna went 2-for-6 with two walks and a grand slam in Thursday's extra-inning loss to the Mets.

He cleared the bases in his first at-bat by pulverizing a Robert Gsellman fastball, sending it over the left-field wall with a 110 mph exit velocity, and the Mets mostly refused to pitch to the 26-year-old for the next 15 innings. Ozuna is off to a blistering start to 2017, slashing .389/.452/.722 through nine games with four homers and an MLB-leading 16 RBI.

Cespedes went 2-for-6 with two walks and a pair of solo home runs in Thursday's extra-inning win over the Marlins.

That's now five homers in three games for Cespedes, with two doubles and nine RBI thrown in for good measure. Big things were expected from him this year after he signed a four-year, $110 million contract in the offseason to remain with the Mets, and with a .275/.375/.800 line through 10 games Cespedes is delivering.

Brantley went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Thursday's loss to the White Sox.

It had been 581 days since the embattled outfielder hit his last MLB home run in September of 2015. Brantley extended his RBI streak to four games Thursday while making it his sixth game in eight starts this year with a run driven in. It should be noted that the 29-year-old also struck out twice against the South Siders, raising Brantley's strikeout rate to 31 percent through 29 at-bats.

For the second straight night, Goins entered as a late-game defensive replacement at third base, but did not receive an at-bat, in Thursday's contest against Baltimore.

The biggest news of the night is that the Jays' regular third baseman, Josh Donaldson, exited the affair early after reaggrevating his right calf injury. Donaldson has already missed time this season due to the calf issue, and now he faces a real possibility of being placed on the DL. Under that circumstance, Goins would move up the depth chart. And although Darwin Barney is likely to fill in for Donaldson on most nights, Goins would become the club's super-utility man and would certainly see an uptick in playing time under that circumstance.

McCutchen went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run during Thursday's 4-3 loss to Boston.

McCutchen is off to a mediocre start with just three runs, the home run, three RBI and a .250/.308/.361 slash line, and it's mildly concerning after he posted the worst campaign of his career in 2016. Still, McCutchen is locked into the heart of the order and deserves the benefit of the doubt considering his elite fantasy track record. It just might be unrealistic to expect him to fully rebound to his MVP level of production, especially since the 30-year-old outfielder is probably nearing the end of his offensive prime.

Lewis (knee) took swings off a tee for the first time since knee surgery Thursday, Lewis said on Twitter.

It's good to see the Mariners' top prospect return to baseball activities, as it seems like his rehab is going as planned. Lewis still has a ways to go in his recovery, but at this point in time, he still seems to be on pace for a mid-July return.

Belt went 0-for-3 at the plate Wednesday, but he reached based twice via walks and scored once in a win over Arizona.

The veteran continues to bat second and provide fantasy owners with solid counting stats early on (seven runs, three home runs, seven RBI and a steal). Belt's batting average (.184) is the only unsavory part of his stat line, but the career-.271 hitter will get that up sooner rather than later.

Tigers general manager Al Avila said Martinez (foot) "should be playing in games in the next few days," MLB Network Radio reports.

The team previously said that Martinez likely won't require a full 20-day rehab assignment, so if he starts rehabbing soon, he could be back with the Tigers before the end of the month. His return will cut into the playing time of Tyler Collins and Mikie Mahtook, and it could possibly send JaCoby Jones to Triple-A for regular at-bats.

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said Cabrera will get his first rest day of the season soon, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Cabrera is in Thursday's lineup against Twins starter Phil Hughes, who he's hitting .432/.457/1.000 against in his career with six home runs. However, look for the slugger to likely get a day off during the upcoming weekend series in Cleveland.