MLB Player News

Atlanta designated Dickerson for assignment Thursday.

With Ronald Acuna (knee) cleared to return from his minor-league rehab assignment to make his 2022 MLB debut Thursday against the Cubs, Dickerson will lose his spot on the 40-man roster and 28-man active roster. The 31-year-old had been filling a large-side platoon role at designated hitter for most of the season, turning in a paltry .121/.194/.212 slash line over 36 plate appearances. Even if Dickerson goes unclaimed off waivers, Atlanta could release him rather than outrighting him to the minors, which would allow him to pursue a more favorable opportunity elsewhere.

Ohtani (2-2) picked up the win against Cleveland on Wednesday, pitching five innings during which he allowed two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out four. He also went 3-for-5 with a double, a run and an RBI as a hitter.

Ohtani wasn't dominant on the mound -- he registered a season-low strikeout total and induced just seven swings-and-misses -- but he bounced back from yielding two first-inning runs and did enough to earn his second straight win. The two-way star helped his own cause at the plate, notching an RBI double in the sixth inning and coming around to score on a Mike Trout double. Ohtani finished with his first three-hit performance of the campaign and will likely make his next start as a pitcher early next week in Boston.

Pederson (groin) will undergo an MRI on Thursday, and manager Gabe Kapler said a trip to the injured list could be necessary, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Pederson experienced groin tightness while breaking for second base on a ground ball during the third inning Wednesday, and his availability for the near future is now in question. The 30-year-old will have Thursday's scheduled off day to be evaluated, so the Giants have some time to determine whether a trip to the injured list is necessary. The team is already short-handed in the outfield with LaMonte Wade (knee) on the 10-day IL and Mike Yastrzemski (illness) on the COVID-19 IL.

Stanton went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a sacrifice fly in a 5-2 win Wednesday over Baltimore.

Stanton smacked a Tyler Wells pitch deep to right field with one on and two out in the first inning for his 350th career homer. He added a sacrifice fly in the sixth and a single in the eighth. The slugger has multiple hits in consecutive games and the homer was his first since the second game of the season. The 32-year-old has posted an 11.5 percent walk rate in his career but has just one walk in 69 plate appearances, or 1.4 percent, while striking out in 33.3 percent of his trips to the plate to start 2022.

Ramirez went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI on Wednesday against the Mariners.

Ramirez has been in the lineup nearly exclusively when lefties are on the mound, so Wednesday was only his third start in the last nine games. He recorded his second multi-hit effort of the season, highlighted by an infield single that drove in Randy Arozarena in the bottom of the first inning. Though he's had limited opportunity, Ramirez has collected nine hits across 30 plate appearances while also tallying three runs scored and four RBI early on in the campaign.

Pederson was removed from Wednesday's game versus the Athletics with right groin tightness, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The 30-year-old appeared to suffer the injury while running the bases during the third inning Wednesday, and he didn't retake the field in the bottom of the frame. Pederson went 1-for-2 prior to his exit and will have Thursday's scheduled off day to aid in his recovery before potentially missing more time.

Harper went 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and a stolen base in a 7-3 win Wednesday against Colorado.

Harper singled and stole a base in the first inning, tripled and scored in the third and singled and scored in the seventh. He has stolen bases in consecutive games and has three swipes on the season. With his triple, the 29-year-old has recorded an extra-base hit in five of his last six games. After a slow start to the season, he has raised his OPS to .850.

Pederson exited Wednesday's game against the A's with an apparent leg injury, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Pederson appeared to grab at his quad while running the bases during the third inning, and he was replaced in the field for the bottom of the frame. The 30-year-old should be considered day-to-day until the Giants provide an update on the injury.

Triple-A El Paso placed Rooker on its 7-day injured list April 19 with a shoulder injury, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

After being acquired from the Twins on April 7, Rooker hit .227 with a pair of home runs over his first seven games with El Paso, but he hasn't played since April 17 on account of the injury. The timing of the move to IL is a particularly disappointing development for Rooker, who likely would have been summoned to the Padres' taxi squad Wednesday after outfielder Wil Myers aggravated a thumb injury in Tuesday's win over the Reds. If Myers is moved to the IL, the Padres appear set to call up Trayce Thompson from El Paso to burnish the club's outfield depth.

Dickerson will serve as Atlanta's designated hitter and No. 6 batter in Wednesday's game against the Cubs, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Dickerson will be included in the starting nine against a right-handed pitcher (Mark Leiter) for the second game in a row, suggesting he's usurped Orlando Arcia as Atlanta's preferred option at DH. Both Dickerson and Arcia will see their opportunities at both DH and in the corner outfield take a hit once Ronald Acuna (knee) is cleared to make his 2022 debut, possibly as soon as this weekend.