MLB Player News

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley has been hobbled for parts of the 2015 season while battling a back injury. He was kept out of action in spring training and in April with the issue and may be dealing with it again, manager Terry Francona said per MLB.com.

"I would think, as you get to where you're playing 20 in a row, everybody starts to feel stuff," Francona said. "I don't think he's really comfortable talking about it, because I think he feels like, 'Hey, if I'm playing, I'm playing.' I think he's done a good job with it.

"I don't want to put words in his mouth, but he hasn't been complaining about it. But, I'd bet you he does feel it sometimes. He's a tough kid."

Brantley has been choosing when to push himself lately.

"He tries to pick his spots a little bit," Francona said. "We've talked about it a little bit and I've actually probably encouraged it. One of the things I think every manager loves is when a guy just runs down the bases like their pants are on fire. But, we've actually talked, because keeping him out there is so big for us. Having him just keeping an eye on things, I think makes some sense."

Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said when Victor Martinez went out of the lineup due to injury that J.D. Martinez would likely handle cleanup duties for the Tigers. However, it's been Yoenis Cespedes that's found a home at No. 4, as he will hit cleanup for the fourth straight game on Saturday. 

Cespedes is 2-for-11 with one homer and three RBIs in the last three contests as cleanup hitter, but the Tigers haven't been able to muster much offense as a team, scoring just six runs in their last five games. Cespedes is hitting .308 against Angels starter Jered Weaver in 13 career at-bats. 

Despite being hit on the foot with a pitch on Thursday, Miguel Cabrera is in the starting lineup for the Tigers' contest with the Angels on Friday. Cabrera will indeed start at first base and bat third as usual. 

Being his typical self, Cabrera is batting .314 (11 for 35) with two doubles, a triple and a home run over his last 10 games. 

Brad Miller returns to the Mariners' lineup at shortstop for Friday's game against Cleveland. 

Miller will start his team-high 28th game at short, but it's just his second time there in the last 11 games. He replaces Chris Taylor.

There is no possibility that Tigers slugger Yoenis Cespedes will eschew free agency to sign early with Detroit, an executive of one of his former teams told CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman.

"He's a businessman," the source said.

The Tigers, however, like Cespedes and plan to keep him in Detroit. He has been steady and productive this year to the tune of a .285/.320/.478 slash line and 27 RBI.

Angels starting pitcher C.J. Wilson gave Tigers personnel and fans a scare Thursday night when he plunked star Miguel Cabrera with a pitch on his surgically repaired right foot.

Cabrera did hobble around after getting hit and was checked out by trainer Doug Teter, but the veteran slugger remained in the game and gave a thumbs up to manager Brad Ausmus.

"It stings him at first, and it's in an area that's been a problem for him," Ausmus said, per MLB.com. "But I think he realized relatively quickly that his ankle was fine, relatively speaking."

Ausmus said the pitch hit Cabrera around the middle of the foot, and it was closer to the toes than the area where he had offseason surgery to repair a stress fracture that bothered him for most of the second half during the 2014 season. 

Cabrera had one more at-bat in the fifth inning before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning. However, it was more because the Tigers were trailing 12-2 than because Cabrera was hurting, per MLB.com.

Ausmus said he expects Cabrera to start Friday, and he will likely be in the lineup at first base.

"He doesn't really like DHing," Ausmus said. "As a matter of fact, he says it's more beneficial for him to be playing first because it keeps the ankle loose."

Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano is out of the lineup for Thursday's series-opener against the Indians. Cano had started every game for the Mariners this season, but he's been mired in a bit of a funk lately.

Over his last 10 games, Cano is batting just .225 (9 for 40) with zero extra base hits. So manager Lloyd McClendon opted to finally give his star a breather.

Brad Miller will handle the keystone position on Thursday.

Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes went 2 for 3 with a walk and a three-run home run in his team's 3-2 win over the A's, his former team, on Wednesday.

"I was confident I was going to do something," Cespedes said, per MLB.com. "But not necessarily hit a home run. I still have a lot of affection for that team, but I play for this team now and I want to win."

Cespedes hadn't homered since May 15 before slugging his second home run of May in the fifth inning to put his team up three runs. The A's were able to pick up runs in the seventh and eighth innings but fell short in the attempted comeback. Cespedes, who has four multihit efforts in his last eight games, owns a .291/.327/.489 line with six home runs, 27 RBI and three stolen bases in 182 at-bats.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley filled up the box score in Wednesday's victory over the Rangers. Brantley reached base in all of his plate appearances, going 2 for 2, a walk, an RBI and a run scored.

Brantley lifted his season average up to .313 and has hit safely in eight of his last 11 games. 

With the Indians ahead with a comfortable lead, manager Terry Francona decided to remove Brantley from the game in the top of the seventh. Brantley has had just one day off since the middle of April, so this was an opportune time to get him some rest.

After starting eight games in a row, Mariners shortstop Chris Taylor will get the day off on Wednesday, as he is being held out of the lineup versus the Rays. In those eight games, the young Taylor has just six hits in 28 at-bats. So manager Lloyd McClendon has decided to give him a rest and clear his head a little.

Brad Miller will get the start at shortstop with Dustin Ackley entering the lineup in left field for the afternoon affair.