MLB Player News

Two regulars are not in the starting lineup for the Indians' game on Sunday. 

Center fielder Michael Bourn gets a rest after five straight starts in center. He's replaced by Michael Brantley, who gets his sixth start in center. 

Jose Ramirez sits after 12 straight starts at shortstop. Mike Aviles replaces him, batting ninth. 

Blue Jays shortstop Ryan Goins turned his ankle and limped off the field after a groundout in the bottom of the fifth inning Saturday against Seattle, per Sportsnet. But he remained in the game.

He was hitless in three at-bats to drop his average to .242.

Indians left fielder Michael Brantley has told Sports Time Ohio that his absence from the Saturday lineup has nothing to do with the back ailment that has plagued him this season and that he should be fine for Sunday.

Brantley has cooled after a torrid stretch. He is 3-for-20 after raising his average from .226 to .348 over a four-week period.

"I just told him, 'Hey, sleep in, relax, and just get yourself ready to maybe pinch-hit in about the seventh,' … and I'll do the same with [Jason Kipnis] here probably pretty soon," manager Terry Francona said to MLB.com. "I've talked to him, too. They're both really good about communicating back with me, and it helps me."

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez smacked a three-run home run to lift the Tigers to a 6-2 win over the Astros on Friday.

The home run came off Collin McHugh in the third inning. It was his ninth home run of the season. Martinez finished the game 2 for 3 with three RBI. Over his last 13 games, Martinez is 18 for 47 with three home runs and six RBI.

Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes reached base in all five plate-appearances in Thursday's win over the Astros. He went 3 for 3 with a double, walked twice and scored twice in the victory. That makes back-to-back three-hit games for the first-year Tiger, and four such performances in his last seven games. 

In fact, Cespedes has hit safely in nine of his last 12 games, and all nine games have been multi-hit performances. 

He also stole a bag for the second consecutive game, giving him threesteals on the season, all coming in the past week. 

Cespedes has had a rather interesting start to his tenure in Detroit. He hasn't hit for much power, with just five home runs on the year. But his 15 doubles are tops in the American League and he has an even .300 batting average entering play on Friday, despite his career .266 mark.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera went 2 for 4 with an RBI in Thursday's walk-off win against the Astros. The RBI was his 31st and the 1400th of his career. His run-scoring single in the fifth gave the Tigers a 4-0 lead at the time.

Cabrera is the fifth-youngest player ever to reach 1400 RBIs. He joins Andres Galarraga as the only Venezuelan-born players to reach that plateau. 

He also extended his current hitting streak to nine games on Thursday. He has 14 hits in 35 at-bats during the streak to go along with four home runs and 10 RBI.

His 31 RBIs this season rank third in the American League. 

Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez is serving as a designated hitter Thursday afternoon against the Astros, with Tyler Collins receiving a day off. Collins served as a DH for the previous two games since Victor Martinez was placed on the disabled list.

Rajai Davis is in right field batting seventh, and Anthony Gose is in center and at the leadoff spot.

Detroit is favored (-160) at home against Houston, per VegasInsider.com.

Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez has outhit now-sidelined teammate Victor Martinez most of the year - which isn't saying much. It stands to reason he will provide better protection in the lineup for hitting machine Miguel Cabrera than did the ailing veteran.

"There's not many people that can protect Miggy," Brad Ausmus told MLive.com. "But I think J.D.'s our best option."

A better option, apparently, than Yoenis Cespedes.

"I like Cespy being able to clear the deck, so to speak," Ausmus added.

An 0-for-25 stretch with 16 strikeouts proved to be one setback for J.D. Martinez, but he has otherwise performed well at the plate. He now owns a 10-game hitting streak that has raised his average from .216 to .260.

Athletics first baseman Mark Canha has shaken off the respiratory infection that held him out of the lineup for the last two games. Canha is starting on Wednesday at first base and batting seventh.

Canha was sent back to the hotel on Monday with the illness, but was able to return as a pinch-hitter in Tuesday's contest. He has been struggling mightely at the plate recently, as he has just one hit (a home run) in his last 27 at-bats.

Nevertheless, he will likely continue to see significant playing time at first base, especially against left-handers, while regular first baseman Ike Davis is on the disabled list.

Athletics first baseman Mark Canha is back with the team on Tuesday after being sent back to the hotel the previous day due to a severe respiratory infection, the Bay Area News Group reports.

Canha is not in the starting lineup but could come off the bench for the Athletics, who are road favorites (-140) in Houston on Tuesday, per VegasInsider.com.

"It seem like we have had it multiple times, but I don't know what you can do about it," manager Bob Melvin said to Bay Area News Group. "When you get guys in close proximity and there's something that's contagious going around, to an extent you try to do the best you can like yesterday, sending Canha home. But you go through these things."

The first baseman has hit .226/.293/.396 with five home runs and 15 RBI in 106 at-bats.