MLB Player News

Brantley was named to the American League All-Star team after being voted in by the players, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Next week's affair in Miami will be Brantley's second All-Star Game, but this one comes with a different narrative. He made his first appearance in 2014, a year in which he won the Silver Slugger Award. This season, the veteran outfielder's numbers are borderline All-Star worthy, but his remarkable comeback from last year's injury-shortened campaign is deserving of the spotlight. Entering Wednesday, Brantley was hitting .297 with five home runs, 31 RBI and eight stolen bases.

Cabrera (hip) is in Wednesday's lineup against the Giants, Chris McCosky of Detroit News reports.

Cabrera left Tuesday's game due to hip tightness, but will not miss any time as he's slotted into his normal position at first base while batting third. Although Cabrera landed on the disabled list earlier this year due to the same injury, he appears ready to go for Wednesday's contest as the Tigers match up against right-hander Ty Blach.

Miller (groin) will likely be activated sometime this weekend, depending on how he feels after Wednesday's rehab game, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Miller has been steadily moving closer to a return and all signs indicate he'll be back in the lineup just before the All-Star break. The slick middle infielder has had his rehab assignment moved to Triple-A Durham, where the Rays hope he can see more action at second base as he works his way back from a right groin strain that's sidelined him since early June. Miller has played in just 42 games this season due multiple DL stints.

Choi is starting at first base and batting seventh for Wednesday's matinee game against the Blue Jays.

Choi will make his first major-league start since 2016 after having his contract selected by the Yankees on Tuesday. The 26-year-old is the latest option at first base in place of the ailing Tyler Austin (hamstring) and Matt Holliday (illness), though his audition may be a temporary one. Choi hit just .170/.271/.339 over 54 games with the Angels last season, but has shown flashes of improvement in Triple-A this year, batting .289 with 43 RBI.

Buxton went 3-for-4 with his fifth home run and 15th stolen base as well as two runs scored in Tuesday's win over the Angels.

Buxton hit just .184 with a .524 OPS in June, and he's generally struggled to keep his batting average above .200. He's hitting .357 (5-for-14) so far in July, raising his average to .204. Buxton has been a disappointment at the plate this season thanks to his two terrible months (he also had a .433 OPS in April), but he's at least contributing stolen bases. He's also offering outstanding glove work in center field, as he's the top fielder in the game by defensive WAR.

Miller (groin), who went 1-for-3 with a walk in a Tuesday rehab start for High-A Charlotte, will move to Triple-A Durham and could be back with the Rays by Thursday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Miller went 3-for-8 in three games with the Stone Crabs and now could conceivably play in just one contest with the Bulls before being activated. The 27-year-old last saw game action with the Rays on June 6 before going on the disabled list for the second time this season.

Choi had his contract purchased from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday.

Choi is set to join the big club in place of Chris Carter, who was designated for assignment after batting just .203 in 61 games for the Yankees this season. The 26-year-old was slashing .289/.371/.505 with eight homers in 56 games at Triple-A before earning the promotion. Choi spent some time in the majors with the Angels last season, but he struggled to a .170/.271/.339 triple slash in just 54 games. Still, the Yankees will likely give Choi a chance to prove himself at first base with Greg Bird (ankle) and Tyler Austin (hamstring) both on the shelf.

Soler is out of the lineup Tuesday against the Mariners, Joel Goldberg of Fox Sports Kansas City reports.

Soler had picked up starts in six of the last seven games but failed to do much with the opportunity, collecting five hits (including a home run and two doubles) in 24 at-bats (.208 average). The Royals haven't cut bait with Brandon Moss as their primary designated hitter, so until that happens, Soler may have to settle for a part-time role at either that spot or the corner outfield.

Manager Brad Ausmus said after Tuesday's win over the Giants that he expects Cabrera (hip) to return to the lineup Wednesday, Evan Woodberg of MLive.com reports.

Cabrera exited in the seventh inning with left hip tightness, the same injury that had resulted in his stay on the 10-day disabled list in April. The 34-year-old said three weeks ago that he was still fighting a hip flexor injury, and although the issue presented problems again Tuesday, the Tigers relayed after the contest that he was only pulled for precautionary purposes. If Cabrera is able to run the bases and field his position Wednesday during pregame workouts without incident, he should be back in the starting nine, but the recurring nature of his injury seems to be taking its toll on his production. Cabrera is slashing .263/.357/.451 over 294 plate appearances this season, with his 113 wRC+ representing his worst mark since his rookie campaign in 2003.

Cabrera exited Tuesday's game early due to left hip tightness.

Cabrera was 1-for-3 before being replaced by Andrew Romine in the seventh inning. It's unclear how serious the injury is at this point, but this could be another tough break for the 34-year-old, who has been nagged by multiple injuries already this season.