MLB Player News

Nootbaar went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Cubs.

Nootbaar has gone 10-for-38 (.263) over 13 games since the All-Star break, adding a 6:10 BB:K and three extra-base hits in that span. The outfielder has operated as the Cardinals' primary right fielder, but the addition of Tommy Pham, a right-handed hitter, at the trade deadline appears to be a threat to Nootbaar's spot in the lineup versus southpaws. For the year, Nootbaar is slashing .236/.326/.394 with seven home runs, five steals, 22 RBI and 20 runs scored over 59 contests.

The Giants designated Hill for assignment Friday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of Jerar Encarnacion. Hill went 3-for-12 at the plate during his week with the big club.

Padres manager Mike Shildt said Friday that King won't make his scheduled start Sunday against the Rockies due to a lingering left calf soreness after being hit by a comebacker in his last start this past Saturday in Baltimore, Sammy Levitt of 97.3 The Fan reports.

Shildt suggested that King just needs a couple extra days of rest and will be ready to take the hill early next week, but the Padres are still discussing their options to fill in for him Sunday. Carl Edwards has been stretched out as a starter at Triple-A El Paso since he signed a minor-league deal last month and last pitched Sunday, so he could be a possibility for a spot start. Edwards would need to be added to the 40-man roster, however.

Gorman is absent from the lineup for Friday's contest versus the Cubs.

Gorman has now been in the lineup just twice across the Cardinals' last nine games. They have faced five lefties over that span, but this will be the second time during the stretch he's sat out versus a righty, as Javier Assad will be taking the ball for the Cubs on Friday. Meanwhile, each of Brendan Donovan's past five and seven of his last eight starts have come at second base.

Tauchman is not in the lineup for Friday's contest against the Cardinals.

All four of Cody Bellinger's starts since he returned from the injured list have come from the designated hitter spot, as the Cubs appear to be protecting the finger injury that sent him to the IL. The result is Tauchman being out of the lineup for four straight games even after he contributed a walk-off RBI double in Thursday's comeback win. Bellinger should eventually return to playing the field, but until that happens, Tauchman will mostly be a bench bat.

Amaya is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Cardinals.

He was behind the dish for the series opener Thursday but will yield to Christian Bethancourt for Friday's afternoon tilt. Amaya has now made five starts to Bethancourt's three since Tomas Nido (knee) went on the injured list.

The Phillies remain hopeful that Suarez (back) will return from the 15-day injured list to make a start during the club's four-game series in Arizona that begins next Thursday, MLB.com reports.

Suarez is first eligible to come off the IL next Wednesday after he was deactivated July 27 due to lower-back soreness. The Phillies seemingly placed Suarez on the IL as a matter of precaution more than anything else, given that he had already been dealing with spasms on the right side of his back heading into the All-Star break. The lefty hasn't been shut down from throwing, so assuming he's able to complete a bullpen session and/or face hitters without issue this weekend or early next week, he should be cleared to rejoin the rotation in Arizona.

Turnbull (lat) tossed a 10-pitch bullpen session Monday at Citizens Bank Park, MLB.com reports.

Assuming Turnbull escaped the side session free of setbacks, he'll shift his rehab program to the Phillies' spring training facility in Clearwater, Fla. and continue building back up. At the time Turnbull was placed on the 15-day injured list June 27 with a right lat strain, manager Rob Thomson estimated that the right-hander would be sidelined for 6-to-8 weeks. Since Turnbull doesn't look as though he'll be a realistic option to return from the IL until mid-to-late August, the Phillies have already indicated that the 31-year-old probably won't have sufficient time to get stretched out for a starting role and will likely be ticketed for the bullpen.

Cave went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Thursday's extra-inning win over the Angels.

Cave went down on strikes in two of his first three at-bats before launching a two-run shot in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 4-4. It marked the outfielder's fourth long ball since the start of July and he's now hit safely in eight of his last nine starts. Still, he's batting just .222 (8-for-36) over that stretch with no multi-hit performances. Cave has also struck out twice in four of his last five contests.

Walker (finger) surrendered three runs (two earned) on four hits and one walk while striking out three over 2.2 innings in his rehab start Wednesday with Double-A Reading. He also hit a batter with a pitch.

Overall, Walker did a decent job of finding the zone with 31 strikes on 41 pitches, but he induced only four swings and misses on the day. He was able to avoid hard contact for the most part, with a double representing the only extra-base knock among the four hits he allowed. According to Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Walker is scheduled to move his rehab assignment to Triple-A Lehigh Valley for another start Tuesday, after which he could be activated from the 15-day injured list. Walker has been on the shelf since June 23 with right index finger inflammation.