MLB Player News

Burleson is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.

Burleson will get his first day off since June 6, breaking a stretch of 21 consecutive starts for the 26-year-old. Though he'll be taking a seat against lefty Logan Allen, Burleson hasn't been treated as a pure platoon player of late, as he had started in each of the Cardinals' last seven matchups with southpaw starters. Garrett Hampson will cover right field Sunday.

Nootbaar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.

He'll hit the bench for a fourth straight matchup against a left-handed starter (Logan Allen), and Nootbaar appears to have settled into a strong-side platoon role after slashing an unremarkable .215/.333/.308 in 126 plate appearances versus southpaws this season. With Alec Burleson also out of the lineup Sunday, the Cardinals will deploy a starting outfield of Brendan Donovan, Victor Scott and Garrett Hampson from left to right.

Hinds started in right field and went 1-for-4 with a run scored in Saturday's 6-4 loss to San Diego.

Hinds made his third start in the last four games, with the first two coming against left-handers and Saturday's against a righty. The Reds are shorthanded in the outfield, which factors into Hinds' usage. Austin Hays just returned from a significant foot injury, while both Connor Joe (illness) and Jake Fraley (shoulder) are on the 10-day injured list. Hinds is 2-for-11 with five strikeouts and two runs scored in his three starts.

Hays opened Saturday's game on the bench but eventually entered as a pinch hitter and went 0-for-1 in a loss to the Padres.

Hays was activated off the injured list Friday and served as the designated hitter for that game. He finished out Saturday's contest as the DH after pinch hitting for Gavin Lux. Hays had missed nearly a month with a foot injury, and it appears manager Terry Francona is easing him back into the lineup and eventually left field.

Tucker went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, a stolen base, four total runs and three total RBI in a 12-3 rout of the Astros on Saturday.

Tucker contributed to a seven-run fourth inning with a three-run blast to right field. He collected three more knocks to finish with his second four-hit performance of the campaign, while the four runs and three RBI both tied his season-best marks. Tucker added his 20th stolen base of the season for good measure, making him one of three players this season (along with Elly De La Cruz and teammate Pete Crow-Armstrong) to tally at least 15 home runs and at least 20 thefts.

Lile went 1-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in Saturday's 8-2 loss to the Angels.

Lile extended a seven-game hitting streak, and he's gone 8-for-26 (.308) with two steals on four attempts in that span. The outfielder continues to hold down a strong-side platoon role in right field, sharing the position with Alex Call while Dylan Crews (oblique) remains on the injured list. Lile is batting .208 with a .599 OPS, one home run, two steals, four RBI, 10 runs scored, four doubles and a triple over 79 plate appearances this season. He stole 20-plus bases in each of his two full minor-league seasons and had 12 thefts in 47 contests between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester this year prior to his latest call-up, so he can make an impact with speed if he gets on base enough.

Cruz went 1-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and a stolen base Saturday against the Mets.

Cruz has been in and out of the Pirates' lineup during the team's recent series against the Brewers and the Mets due to a combination of poor performance and lack of effort. He re-entered the starting nine Saturday after sitting Friday, and he started a Pittsburgh rally in the second inning with a leadoff single before swiping his 27th base of the season and coming around to score. Cruz still struck out three times, raising his strikeout rate to 33.4 percent on the campaign.

Marsh went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a run scored in Saturday's 6-1 loss to Atlanta.

Marsh has been a little inconsistent at the plate lately, hitting safely in just four of his last eight games. He's 7-for-25 (.280) in that stretch, adding two RBI, two runs scored and two doubles. Marsh has taken a step back on the basepaths this year, posting just four steals on five attempts after swiping 19 bags on 22 tries in the 2024 regular season. The outfielder has added a reasonable .261/.337/.373 slash line with two home runs, 17 RBI, 22 runs scored, 10 doubles an a triple over 185 plate appearances. He continues to see a strong-side platoon role in center field, though he did face a left-handed pitcher earlier in the week at the tail end of a stretch of three straight opposing southpaws.

Harris is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Phillies.

Harris is hitless in his last 19 at-bats and is just 2-for-39 in his last 11 outings. Amid his struggles, Atlanta will give Harris his second day off of the 2025 season, allowing for Eli White to man center field.

Walker (appendicitis) will start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Saturday, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Walker isn't eligible to come off the 10-day injured list until next Wednesday, so he'll presumably play in at least a couple games for Memphis prior to being activated. Once he rejoins the Cardinals, Walker will likely occupy the short side of a platoon in right field.