MLB Player News

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, who is on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring, has still not been cleared for baseball activities, manager Mike Redmond told the Palm Beach Post Tuesday.

"No baseball activity but he's running in the pool. I just go by what they tell me," Redmond said. "From what I've heard, it's a similar type of strain from what [Casey] Kotchman has. It's taken a while for him. We really don't have a time frame. It just depends on how fast he heals and how fast he feels like he can get back on the field."

Stanton has been sidelined since April 29. He hit .227 with three homers and nine RBI before landing on the DL.

As expected, the Nationals kept outfielder Bryce Harper out of Tuesday's lineup against the Dodgers as he continues to nurse a bruised left shoulder and left knee after colliding with the right-field wall the previous day.

Harper's X-rays come back negative and he is listed as day to day. He is hitting .200 (4 for 20) with a home run and three RBI in his last seven games.

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was in the starting lineup Tuesday against Texas despite leaving Monday's game with an illness, the San Jose Mercury News reports. Cespedes, who has just two hits in his previous six games, was not expected to miss any playing time and slotted third in the batting order.

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said Bryce Harper's X-rays came back negative, and he's being listed as day to day with a bruised left shoulder and left knee, according to The Washington Post. Harper needed 11 stitches to his chin and neck Monday night after slamming into the right-field wall at Dodgers Stadium trying to track down a fly ball.

"Will be sore but fine. Day to day," Rizzo said.

Cardinals second baseman Matt Carpenter reached base three times Monday against the Mets. 

Carpenter hit two singles and walked during the game. He scored and drove in two runs. Carpenter is hitting .294/.373/.449 in 136 at-bats. Jon Jay had a brief run in the leadoff spot, but the team has gone back to Carpenter recently, so he should continue to get a lot of at-bats. 

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper received 11 stitches on his chin and neck but did not suffer a concussion, according to his agent Scott Boras. Harper also jammed his left shoulder when he collided face first with the scoreboard on the right-field wall trying to track down a fly ball off the bat of A.J. Ellis.

Harper stayed on the ground for several minutes but was eventually able to walk off the field under his own power despite having blood running down his chin and neck.

He is scheduled to undergo X-rays but there has been no timetable announced for his return.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was forced to leave Monday's series opener against the Dodgers in the fifth inning after crashing into the scoreboard on the right field wall. Harper was trying to track down a fly ball off the bat of A.J. Ellis and crashed face first into the wall.

Harper was able to walk off the field under his own power despite having blood running down his chin and neck.

He went 1 for 1 with a pair of walks and runs scored prior to leaving the contest.

Astros manager Bo Porter said J.D. Martinez, Robbie Grossman and Jimmy Paredes will be the team's regular three starters in the outfield, MLB.com reports. Porter had been rotating Trevor Crowe and Brandon Barnes in the outfield over the past few weeks.

"They're going to get the bulk of the playing time," Porter said, "so that I, as a manager, can make a definitive decision as a manager to answer the question: Can this guy or can that guy play every day at the Major League level?"

Giants first basemen Brandon Belt hit his fourth home run Sunday against the Braves. Belt's solo shot came off starter Kris Medlen in the second inning.

He finished 1 for 3 with a walk and two runs in the 5-1 win.

Belt has hit safely in five of the last six games and is batting .333 (6 for 18) with a home run, two doubles and four RBI over that span.

Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon finished 2 for 4 with a home run during his season debut -- an 8-2 victory over St. Louis Sunday. After being called up earlier in the day to replace Michael Cuddyer, Blackmon batted eighth and had a two-run shot off Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia in the sixth inning -- his first MLB homer since Sept. 26 against the Cubs.

"I like to get guys involved right away when they get here," manager Walt Weiss told MLB.com. "Charlie's been doing a great job. He handles left-handers really well. He's been stringing together a lot of good at-bats down there in Colorado Springs. He runs well. He brings some things. Hopefully he can be something that helps jump-start us."