MLB Player News

Reed is out of the lineup Sunday against the Mariners.

The Mariners are starting a left-handed pitcher for the second time this series, so Reed will accordingly find himself on the bench. Reed hasn't exactly dominated right-handed pitching since his promotion (6-for-30 with two homers), so until he finds more success, he'll be limited to platoon duties at first base or DH.

Cespedes (quad) is back in the lineup Sunday against the Phillies.

Cespedes has missed four straight games dating back to before the All-Star break, but his pregame workouts Sunday proved encouraging enough for manager Terry Collins to give him the starting nod. With Juan Lagares back and available to play center field, Cespedes could see more time in left moving forward, as that's where he'll draw the start Sunday.

Buxton is out of the lineup Sunday against the Indians.

Buxton recently returned from a knee injury suffered prior to the All-Star break, and with Saturday's game going 11 innings, it looks like manager Paul Molitor just wanted to give the 22-year-old a breather. Danny Santana will cover center field in Buxton's stead.

Ozuna is out of the lineup Sunday against the Cardinals.

No specific reason has been given for Ozuna's absence, so this appears to be just a regular maintenance day for the 25-year-old. He'll sit in favor of Ichiro Suzuki in center field, but carry a .886 OPS into Monday's series opener against the Phillies.

Cespedes (quad) will be in the initial starting lineup Sunday, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reports.

Don't lock Cespedes in just yet, however, as manager Terry Collins will likely keep a close eye on the outfielder's pregame routine. If anything appears off, look for Collins to take a precautionary approach and scratch him from the lineup. Cespedes suffered a strained quad leading up to the All-Star break, and hasn't started a game since then, allowing Juan Lagares to pick up a few extra starts. Despite the recent absence, all signs appear to be pointing at a return in the short term for Cespedes. Even if he's unable to go Sunday, Matt Ehalt of The Record reports that Collins does not anticipate the ailment forcing a stint on the DL.

Vargas started at DH and went 2-for-5 with a double in Saturday's win over Cleveland.

Vargas continues to stay in the lineup while he's hot. He's hitting .400 (10-for-25) with nine of his 10 hits being extra-base hits.

Cespedes (quad) is not in the lineup Saturday against the Phillies, James Wagner of the New York Times reports.

Cespedes strained his right quad a couple of days before the All-Star break, and he'll now miss a second straight game following the festivities. The slugger took batting practice Friday, however, and was close to returning Saturday, so a DL stint does not seem likely at this point. In place of Cespedes, Juan Lagares will make another start in center field and hit eighth Saturday.

Goins appears to be on track to make his return when he's eligible to come off the DL on Sunday, MLB.com reports.

Goins has been out since June 29, when he experienced tightness in his right forearm during a rare pitching appearance in a game against the Indians. He began a rehab appearance with Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday and he's eligible to come off the DL on Sunday for the final game of the Jays' series in Oakland. However, he was playing poorly before hitting the DL, and middle infielders Troy Tulowitzki and Devon Travis are healthy again, which means Goins won't have much fantasy value.

Stanton went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, a run, and an RBI against the Cardinals on Friday.

Stanton had a strong finish to an otherwise forgettable first half, carrying a seven-game hitting streak into the break and then mashing his way to a Home Run Derby crown. He picked up right where he left off before All-Star festivities as he continues to push his .238/.335/.500 slash line back to respectability. The lumbering outfielder has slugged five home runs over what is now an eight-game hitting streak and is up to 41 runs scored and 51 RBI on the year.

Ozuna went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI in Friday's win over the Cardinals.

The All-Star outfielder opened the second half just how he spent the majority of the first half: scorching hot. The multi-hit effort pushed his slash line to .308/.360/.534. He's been the Marlins' most consistent run producer, accumulating 54 runs and driving home 49 during this breakout campaign. Ozuna's .894 OPS is currently 120 points higher than his previous career high and with 17 long balls on the year, he's just six home runs away from tying his career best of 23 set in 2014.