MLB Player News

Red Sox outfielder Yoenis Cespedes left Thursday's game due to a personal matter.

Cespedes left in the top of the fourth inning. He was replaced by Will Middlebrooks. Cespedes struck out in his only at-bat of the game. 

I've got to hand it to Al Melchior: His predictions this year have been spot-on.

To say I didn't like Kennys Vargas would be inaccurate. Back on Aug. 5, I touted him under the headline "Kennys Vargas could surprise people." But I wasn't willing to endorse him over Kendrys Morales and Steve Pearce, as Al did Thursday morning on the Fantasy Baseball Today podcast.

So of course that afternoon, Vargas goes 3 for 4 with a homer. The timing is incredible.

I'm still not willing to endorse him over Morales, who has a steady track record, or Pearce, who CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman spoke enthusiastically about on Thursday's Fantasy Baseball Today, but he's now officially surprised people. No "could" about it.

Given his strikeout rate, his batting average could be in for a steep regression, but I think Vargas deserves at least as much hype as C.J. Cron got earlier this season. His ownership rate reached 56 percent at one point. Vargas' is currently 35.

Twins designated hitter Kennys Vargas went yard Thursday against the Indians. 

Vargas struck in the bottom of the fourth inning. He took a 93 mph sinker from Corey Kluber out to left for a solo shot. Vargas would also double and single during the outing. He finished 3 for 4, with two runs scored and one RBI. 

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera was serving as the designated hitter for Thursday's game against the Rays after aggravating an ankle injury Wednesday, manager Brad Ausmus told reporters.

Cabrera has served as the DH in 13 of his 123 games this season. Ausmus does not think this injury is much of a concern moving forward. 

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez clubbed his 17th home run Tuesday against the Rays.

Martinez waited until the eighth inning to strike. He led off the inning by taking a 75 mph curveball out to center field for the solo shot. Martinez would also single during the contest. He finished 2 for 5, with one run scored and one RBI. 

Twins rookie first baseman/DH Kennys Vargas doubled, homered and drove in three runs during a 12-6 loss Sunday against the Royals. He finished 3 for 4 with two runs.

Vargas gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single off Jeremy Guthrie. He came back in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 9-4 with a two-run homer off Guthrie.

Vargas has hit safely in all but three of 15 games since his promotion from the minors. He is batting .317 with three home runs, two doubles and 15 RBI.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley made his only hit in four at-bats Saturday against the Orioles count, as he hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning. The home run gave Cleveland a 6-0 lead, which would be the final score, and chased starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez from the game.

Brantley has homered three time in his last 19 games. However, he is batting .351 with a .595 slugging percentage, .992 OPS, one triple, seven doubles, 10 runs and 17 RBI in that span.

Red Sox outfielder Yoenis Cespedes continued his tear Friday, as he went deep for the third time in five games in a 5-3 loss to the Astros.

 Cespedes had just one hit in the game, as he went 1 for 4 with two strikeouts. He made that hit count, clubbing a two-run home run in the fourth inning to get the Red Sox on the board.

Cespedes has just four hits over his last five games, but three have gone for home runs, and he has driven in eight runs in that span. He is hitting .240/.255/.480 in 12 games with the Red Sox. 

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez did much of the heavy lifting Thursday, as he drove in the team's first two runs in a 5-2 win over the Pirates.

Martinez got the Tigers on the board with his solo shot in the fifth inning, and then added on RBI on a bases-loaded walk in the following frame. He went 2 for 4 with two RBI, one run scored and one walk in the win.

Martinez has been cold throughout August, but now has six RBI in 13 games. He is still hitting just .191 in the month, bringing his season line down to .303/.348/.566. 

Red Sox outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is back in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Astros, after leaving the previous day's game with a jammed thumb. The injury was never considered serious, so it isn't a surprise to see him starting in left field and batting fourth in Thursday's game.