MLB Player News

Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper will move to center field, in place of Denard Span, for Saturday's game. 

"What we have to be mindful of is that we don't want to push [Span] too hard, because this is a long-term thing," manager Matt Williams said to MLB.com. "We have a lot of games left. I want to make sure he is healthy for the rest of the season. Four in a row and a day off is probably the best thing to do. After today, let him go again. He'll let us know how he feels from there. He is playing well."

Reed Johnson gets his second start of the season in right.

The Nationals are -150 money line favorites at Miami. 

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton made his lone hit count in Thursday afternoon's 9-1 win over the Phillies.

Stanton hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, which also scored Martin Prado. Stanton otherwise went 1 for 5 in the game with three strikeouts. This was Stanton's fourth home run of the season. 

He now has 14 RBI for the year. 

Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen is set to sit Thursday against the Cubs, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has reported. The day off will allow him to rest his ailing left knee, which has been getting better.

McCutchen is hitless in his last two games and is just 6-for-28 since April 13 without a home run. His slash line on the year is an uncharacteristic .204/.322/.367.

Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg chose to rest four of his starters for Thursday's day game against the Marlins.

First baseman Ryan Howard, second baseman Chase Utley, shortstop Freddy Galvis and catcher Carlos Ruiz were all held out of the starting lineup. Darin Ruf started at first base, Cesar Hernandez started at second base, Andres Blanco started at shortstop and Cameron Rupp started at catcher.

Ruiz (.184), Howard (.196) and Utley (.120) are all batting below the Mendoza Line (.200). Galvis is batting .300 (15 for 50) with one double, one triple, one home run and eight RBI through 14 games.

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter went 1 for 3 at the plate Wednesday in St. Louis' 7-5 win over the Nationals. Carpenter did his damage in the first inning, ripping a lead off home run off Doug Fister, his third of the season.

Carpenter, who also walked twice, is now hitting .377 with five RBI in 53 at-bats.

Twins designated hitter Kennys Vargas has yet to find a rhythm at the plate this season. Vargas is hitting just .186 with one home run and three RBI in 43 at-bats this season. Manager Paul Molitor thinks Vargas is pressing too much at the plate, according to MLB.com

"He's really hungry to get consistent, but if I have any fears for him it's that he hits too much," Molitor said. "Whenever we hit extra, he's always in the cage. He's trying to always repeat swings to take it into the game. He's a strong enough man to handle, but when you talk about over the course of the year, it's going to add up for him. So we might have to back him off."

Cubs manager Joe Maddon wants to keep his players fresh this year. One of his most important players, Jorge Soler, has been taking advantage of days off and rains out to keep extra stress off his legs, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Soler played just 86 games in 2014 while battling hamstring injuries in both legs.

"With the season in progress, I definitely want to be able to rest these guys at an opportune moment," Maddon said. "But for right now, based on the schedules, the frequent off-days at this moment, I think he's OK.

"I do listen. If the trainers suggest he might need a day (off), I definitely would do it."

Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez is out of the starting lineup Wednesday against the Giants, putting Justin Turner at first and batting third, the team announced.

Gonzalez is getting his first day off of the season after starting the first 13 games in a row. He is pounding the ball so far this season, hitting .442 with five home runs and 14 RBI.

Turner is hitting .353 in 17 at-bats this season and make his 24th career appearance at first Wednesday. The Dodgers are currently the favorites (-120) against San Francisco.

Blue Jays infielder Ryan Goins totaled three RBI during a 13-6 win Tuesday vs. Baltimore. He has a two-run single in the bottom of the second and an RBI single in the bottom of the third.

Goins, who is a backup infielder, is batting .286 (4 for 14) with three RBI, one walk, one run and five strikeouts in five games.

Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon extended his hitting streak to five games during Tuesday's 7-6 defeat to San Diego.

Blackmon gave Colorado a 4-2 lead with a two-run double in the fifth inning for his only hit of the night. He finished 1 for 4 with a run scored and two RBI. He has gone 6 for 19 with a double, two triples, two walks and three RBI during his hitting streak. He is hitting .283/.371/.491 on the year.