MLB Player News

Ozuna is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates.

The veteran slugger started the past three games and will receive a day off after going 1-for-10 with a walk and two runs during that stretch. William Contreras will bat seventh as the designated hitter in Ozuna's place.

Choi will sit Friday against the Twins, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Choi has made just a single start against a southpaw all season, so he'll unsurprisingly hit the bench here against lefty Devin Smeltzer. Harold Ramirez will handle first base Friday.

Ford was claimed off waivers by Atlanta on Friday.

Ford was designated for assignment by the Mariners on Saturday, but he will now join a new organization and report to Triple-A Gwinnett. The 29-year-old has produced a .182 average with a double, five RBI and a run scored over 33 at-bats in 17 games with the Mariners and Giants this season. Atlanta DFA'd Joe Dunand on Friday to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Ford.

Blackmon went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a run scored Thursday against the Giants.

Blackmon continues to hit well, as he's now tallied six multi-hit performances across his last 13 starts. He's hit .364 in that span while also slugging three homers, driving in 12 and scoring six runs. That's raised his overall line to .260/.320/.451 across 226 plate appearances on the campaign.

Ohtani (4-4) earned the win over Boston on Thursday, pitching seven innings and allowing one run on four hits and two walks while striking out six. He also went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run at the plate.

Ohtani took it upon himself to end the Angels' franchise-record 14-game losing streak, producing more runs with his bat (two) than he gave up on the mound. The two-way star gave Los Angeles its first lead with a two-run shot to center in the fifth inning and finished with his fifth quality start of the campaign as a pitcher. Ohtani racked up an impressive 18 swinging strikes despite registering a modest six punchouts.

Buxton went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs, four total RBI and a walk in Thursday's loss to the Yankees.

Both of Buxton's homers came off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, as he got to the right-hander for a solo shot in the first inning and a three-run blast in the second. After a 14-game stretch without a long ball from mid-May to early June, Buxton has gone deep four times in his past five games. He's tied with five others players for fifth in the league this season with 15 home runs.

Choi went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run Thursday against the Cardinals.

Choi accounted for all of the Rays' offense with his fifth home run of the season. He's in the midst of a nine-game hitting streak, during which he's gone yard twice while tallying 10 RBI and seven runs scored. Choi now owns a .278/.367/.484 line across 147 plate appearances on the season.

Stanton is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Twins.

Stanton will sit for the second time since coming off the injured list Saturday, and he's gone 2-for-13 with a solo home run, a double and six strikeouts since being activated. Anthony Rizzo will rest his legs at designated hitter while DJ LeMahieu starts at first base.

Soler isn't starting Thursday against the Nationals, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Soler went 4-for-7 with a homer, a double, two RBI, a walk and a strikeout over the last two games and will be out of the lineup Thursday for the first time since May 22. Bryan De La Cruz will take over in left field and bat ninth.

Winker went 1-for-3 with an RBI single, two walks and a run in a win over the Astros on Wednesday.

Winker continues to find success at the plate mostly fleeting during his first Mariners season, as Wednesday's productive effort still leaves his season slash line at an uninspiring .209/.315/.296. However, Winker sports an impressive 13.7 percent walk rate, typically modest 15.8 percent strikeout rate and solid 21.9 percent line-drive rate, which, when factored alongside a career-low .240 BABIP, support the notion he'll eventually ascend much closer to the career .288/.385/.504 slash line he entered 2022 with.