MLB Player News

Harper went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk Wednesday against the Rays.

Harper took Shawn Armstrong yard in the fifth inning to record his 24th homer of the season. He now has three home runs in his last 10 games to go along with eight RBI and five runs scored. For the season, Harper has delivered an excellent .293/.412/.567 line with 72 runs scored and 54 RBI across 442 plate appearances.

Ohtani allowed four runs on five hits with seven strikeouts in five innings of a no-decision Wednesday against Baltimore. He also went 0-for-4 at the plate with three strikeouts.

Ohtani had won each of his previous four starts on the mound, but he allowed a season-high three home runs in this one, with two of them coming in the first frame. He did leave with a 6-4 lead despite his issues with the long ball, but the Angels' bullpen imploded during a five-run eighth inning. Ohtani didn't fare any better at the dish, where he's now 3-for-18 (.167) with 10 strikeouts over his last five games.

Manager David Bell said Wednesday that Winker (ribs) has yet to resume baseball activities and remains "a couple weeks away" from returning from the injured list, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Winker is rehabbing in Cincinnati while the team is on a road trip, and it's unclear when he may be able to resume baseball activities. The 28-year-old landed on the shelf Aug. 16 with an intercostal strain, and given his current progression he may not rejoin the big-league roster before mid-September.

Belt will likely go on the bereavement list Friday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Belt will miss all of the weekend series in Atlanta and possibly a few more games beyond that. The bereavement list's maximum stay is seven games, so he'll return no later than Friday, Sept. 3 against the Dodgers.

Blackmon is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Cubs.

Blackmon went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the afternoon contest and is now hitting .333 in his last 10 games. Sam Hilliard is starting in right field Wednesday night, with Garrett Hampson playing center.

Rooker isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.

Rooker went 0-for-3 with a run, a walk and two strikeouts in Tuesday's series opener, and he'll be on the bench for the third time in the last four games. Jake Cave will start in left field and bat eighth.

Brantley isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Royals, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Brantley has been in a slump recently, as he's gone 0-for-11 with a run, four walks and a strikeout across the last three games. He'll get a chance to reset Wednesday while Aledmys Diaz starts in left field and bats second.

Cabrera isn't starting Wednesday against the Cardinals.

Cabrera hit his 500th career home run Sunday and went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Tuesday's series opener against the Cardinals. However, Jonathan Schoop will start at first base and bat third Wednesday.

Stanton went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 5-4 win over the Braves.

After homering Monday against the Braves, Stanton victimized Atlanta yet again with a solo shot off Charlie Morton in the second inning. After hitting .214 in July, the supersized slugger is hitting .320 in August. He has also hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games.

Belt went 4-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI on Tuesday against the Mets.

Belt tallied hits in each of his first three at-bats, two of which went for home runs. He now has 19 long balls on the season, with eight having come since he was activated from the injured list Aug. 5. Despite the power surge, he's hitting just .226 in that span with only four hits that didn't clear the fence. Overall, Belt is hitting .247/.355/.556 across 262 plate appearances for the season.