Nationals deal outfielder Nyjer Morgan to Brewers

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Forget what you might’ve heard.

According to beat writer Bill Ladson of MLB.com, the Nationals have traded speedy outfielder Nyjer Morgan to the Brewers for young utilityman, and son of Lenny, Cutter Dykstra.

Rick Ankiel secured the Nats’ starting center field role with a decent showing this spring and Milwaukee had a need for outfield depth in the wake of Friday’s trade of Chris Dickerson.

Morgan, 30, will serve as an active but unproductive fourth outfielder with the Brewers. He posted a putrid .253/.319/.314 batting line, zero homers and 24 RBI over 577 plate appearances in 2010 and was caught on 17 of his 51 stolen base attempts. He’s known mostly for his speed, but his track record on the basepaths is far from good. Or even decent.

Dykstra, 21, batted .312/.416/.411 last season at Single-A Wisconsin. He doesn’t have much power potential but he has played all around the field and boasts a good amount of athleticism.

MLB homer leader Pete Alonso to IL with bone bruise, sprain in wrist

pete alonso
Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports
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PITTSBURGH — The New York Mets will have to dig out of an early-season hole without star first baseman Pete Alonso.

The leading home run hitter in the majors will miss three-to-four weeks with a bone bruise and a sprain in his left wrist.

The Mets placed Alonso on the 10-day injured list Friday, retroactive to June 8. Alonso was hit in the wrist by a 96 mph fastball from Charlie Morton in the first inning of a 7-5 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday.

Alonso traveled to New York for testing on Thursday. X-rays revealed no broken bones, but the Mets will be missing one of the premier power hitters in the game as they try to work their way back into contention in the NL East.

“We got better news than it could have been,” New York manager Buck Showalter said. “So we take that as a positive. It could have been worse.”

New York had lost six straight heading into a three-game series at Pittsburgh that began Friday. Mark Canha started at first for the Mets in the opener. Mark Vientos could also be an option, though Showalter said the coaching staff may have to use its “imagination” in thinking of ways to get by without Alonso.

“I’m not going to say someone has to step up and all that stuff,” Showalter said. “You’ve just got to be who you are.”

Even with Alonso in the lineup, the Mets have struggled to score consistently. New York is 16th in the majors in runs scored.

The team also said Friday that reliever Edwin Uceta had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Uceta initially went on the IL in April with what the team called a sprained left ankle. He is expected to be out for at least an additional eight weeks.

New York recalled infielder Luis Guillorme and left-handed reliever Zach Muckenhirn from Triple-A Syracuse. The Mets sent catcher Tomás Nido to Triple-A and designated reliever Stephen Nogosek for assignment.

Nogosek is 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in 13 games this season.