MLB Player News

Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-4 with a stolen base in Saturday's loss to the Blue Jays.

One night after his first career walk-off homer, Encarnacion-Strand notched the first steal of his young career, serving as the trail runner in a ninth-inning double steal. Considering he stole just two bases in 67 minor-league games this year, it's unlikely that the 23-year-old will have the green light on the basepaths. Encarnacion-Strand has now hit safely in eight of his last 10 games, boasting a .278/.366/.528 slash line with three homers, six RBI, four runs scored and a steal across 41 plate appearances during that stretch. However, the rookie's 36.6 percent strikeout rate during that same time frame certainly causes some concern.

Stanton is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox.

Aaron Judge will get a day out of the outfield and serve as the Yankees' designated hitter while Stanton heads to the bench after starting in every game dating back to Aug. 2. During that 16-game stretch, Stanton slashed .207/.313/.448 with four home runs, 10 RBI and seven runs while striking out at a 32.8 percent clip.

McCutchen went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run and five RBI in Saturday's 7-4 win over the Twins.

McCutchen delivered a pair of big hits, including a two-run double in the sixth inning and a three-run home run three frames later. The long ball was his first since June 30, a span of 27 games. Powered primarily by a hot start to the season, McCutchen has a 114 wRC+ and .342 wOBA across 419 plate appearances on the campaign.

Blackmon went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and two runs scored Saturday against the White Sox.

Blackmon has a hit in each of his five starts since returning from a hand injury, and his long ball in the seventh inning was his second extra-base hit in that span. All five of those contests have taken place at Coors Field, though Blackmon has still successfully returned to the field following a two-month absence. He should continue to be a source of runs scored and a decent batting average down the stretch as he remains locked into the leadoff role in Colorado.

Turner started at first base and went 0-for-4 in Saturday's 8-1 win over the Yankees.

Turner hadn't played the field since July 30 because the Red Sox are trying to keep him off his feet as much as possible while he battles bruised left heel. A last-minute adjustment to Saturday's lineup was needed when Triston Casas (tooth) was scratched. Earlier this week, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Pablo Reyes would assume the backup duties at first base due to Turner's condition, but the manager wanted to give Trevor Story a breather, and Reyes filled in at shortstop. Casas may not be available Sunday, so if Story returns to play shortstop, Reyes could take over at first base while Turner serves as the DH.

Ramirez went 4-for-6 with a double, two runs and four RBI in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader split against the Angels.

Ramirez appeared as a pinch hitter and grounded out in his only plate appearance in Game 1 before tallying a season-high four hits in Game 2. Among those knocks were a two-run double in the sixth inning and a two-run single in the eighth. Ramirez has been swinging a scorching stick of late, going 13-for-24 (.542) with three extra-base hits and eight RBI over his past six contests.

Buxton (hamstring) could play center field once he's deemed ready to return from the 10-day injured list, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Buxton has exclusively served as the Twins' designated hitter this season in an effort to keep him healthy, but it's hard to call the plan a success. Even with the extreme caution, he's still landed on the IL twice, though as long as he returns in time to appear in eight more games, he will have reached the second-highest mark (93) of his career. His numbers at the plate (.207/.294/.438) have taken a considerable hit, however, which may or may not be linked with his role change. The Twins have yet to officially announce that he will indeed start outfield work as part of his rehab, but manager Rocco Baldelli said Saturday that the team was having conversations about the idea.

Belt will sit Saturday against the Reds.

As expected, Belt will hit the bench with a lefty (Brandon Williamson) on the mound for the opposition. He has just 32 plate appearances against southpaws this year, making just five starts. Davis Schneider will serve as the designated hitter.

Martinez isn't in the Dodgers' lineup for the first game of Saturday's doubleheader with the Marlins, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Martinez went 1-for-3 in his return to the lineup Friday and will sit out Game 1, allowing Will Smith to serve as the DH and Austin Barnes to start behind the plate. Assuming Martinez's nagging groin injury isn't an issue, the 35-year-old slugger will likely return for the nightcap.

Ford went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a win over the Astros on Friday.

Ford's sixth-inning blast off J.P. France accounted for the second and final run of the night. The journeyman slugger's round-tripper was his first since July 23, a 12-game span that saw Ford limp to a .063 average and .283 OPS while striking out at a 43.2 percent clip over 37 plate appearances. He's continued to log somewhat regular playing time despite the significant struggles, but it remains to be seen how much longer that will continue on a team contending for a wild-card spot.