MLB Player News

Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez drove in two runs in Sunday's 8-6 win over Cleveland. Martinez doubled and went 1 for 4 on the day, bringing his average to .263.

Martinez now has 14 RBI for the season.  

Catcher Kurt Suzuki, DH Kennys Vargas and right fielder Torii Hunter were not included in the Twins' Sunday lineup. 

Suzuki was replaced by Chris Herrmann, who started his fourth game at catcher, batting eighth.

Oswaldo Arcia moved over from left to replace Hunter. Eduardo Escobar picked up his fourth start of the year in left, batting sixth.  

Eduardo Nunez played Dh for the first time this year, batting fifth. 

Athletics left fielder Mark Canha is out of the lineup for the second straight game on Sunday. Craig Gentry gets his first start of the season in left in Canha's place. 

Gentry has had five starts in center and two in right. 

The A's are -150 money line favorites at home against Houston. 

Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game at Tampa Bay. 

Reyes has started at short in 15 of the team's 18 games, including five straight. He'll be replaced by Ryan Goins, who is making his third start at shortstop. Goins has also started games at second and left field. 

Goins will hit ninth in the lineup. The Blue Jays are +122 money line underdogs at Tampa.

Joe Mauer and Kennys Vargas swapped positions for the Twins on Saturday. Mauer, who has started 14 of the team's 16 games at first base, will play designated hitter. Vargas, who has been the DH for 13 games, will play first. 

It's the second start at first base this season for Vargas and Mauer's third time at DH. 

The Twins are +145 money line underdogs at Seattle. 

Indians left fielder Michael Brantley went 4 for 4 in Saturday's loss to Detroit. 

Brantley doubled twice and drove in Cleveland's only run of the game. He's now hitting .359, 73 points higher than he started the day. Brantley has four doubles and six RBI. 

"It feels good," Brantley said to MLB.com. "You always want to contribute and do the best that you can for your team each and every day. I'll continue to work hard and keep pushing the guys like they are pushing me and we're going to be fine."

Miguel Cabrera was walked his first four times up on Saturday, as the Tigers beat Cleveland, 4-1. 

Cabrera became the first Tiger to draw four walks in a game since Matt Tuiasosopo on May 19, 2013. Three of the walks were intentional. He was the first Tiger to get three intentional walks in a game since he did it on August 15, 2010, and he's the first MLB player to do it since Adam Dunn on June 5, 2013.

"He's an unusual hitter," manager Terry Francona said to MLive.com. "Sometimes it depends on the situation, the outs, who's pitching. There's all kinds of things that go into it."

Cabrera made an out in his only at bat of the day. 

"They are either going to pitch him delicately or they're going to walk him," right fielder Rajai Davis said. "It is what it is. They were very careful. They know what he did in Cleveland and they obviously remember it."

Athletics left fielder Mark Canha was not listed in the team's starting lineup for Saturday's game. In his place, Cody Ross gets his second start of the season in left, batting eighth. 

Ross also has four starts in right this year. 

The A's are -115 money line favorites at home against Houston. 

Twins designated hitter Kennys Vargas has yet to find a rhythm at the plate this season. Vargas is hitting just .186 with one home run and three RBI in 43 at-bats this season. Manager Paul Molitor thinks Vargas is pressing too much at the plate, according to MLB.com

"He's really hungry to get consistent, but if I have any fears for him it's that he hits too much," Molitor said. "Whenever we hit extra, he's always in the cage. He's trying to always repeat swings to take it into the game. He's a strong enough man to handle, but when you talk about over the course of the year, it's going to add up for him. So we might have to back him off."

Blue Jays infielder Ryan Goins totaled three RBI during a 13-6 win Tuesday vs. Baltimore. He has a two-run single in the bottom of the second and an RBI single in the bottom of the third.

Goins, who is a backup infielder, is batting .286 (4 for 14) with three RBI, one walk, one run and five strikeouts in five games.