MLB Player News

Twins designated hitter Kennys Vargas is expected to be back in the lineup Wednesday after getting a third day off Tuesday, according to 1500 ESPN.

Vargas has been out of the lineup since Sunday, with Eduardo Nunez taking over the DH role. Vargas has been in a bit of a slump and manager Paul Molitor has been pushing for Vargas to work on his pitch recognition. He is hitting just .161 with a home run in 56 at-bats this season.

Blue Jays infielders Ryan Goins and Jonathan Diaz will platoon at shortstop in the absence of Jose Reyes, who is on the 15-day disabled list with a rib injury, per MLB.com.

Goins got the start at shortstop Tuesday at Boston. Diaz was called up from the minors Monday after Reyes was placed on the disabled list.

Blue Jays infielder Ryan Goins will start at shortstop Tuesday for the injured Jose Reyes, the team announced. Goins fills in for Reyes, who was placed on the 15-day DL Monday with a rib injury. Goins is hitting .238 in 21 at-bats this season.

Outfielder Dalton Pompey is out of the lineup, with Danny Valencia taking over in left field and Kevin Pillar playing center. 

Pompey told Sportsnet.ca he suffered a bit of whiplash making a catch Monday at Boston.

Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes hit a three-run home run to propel the Tigers to a 5-4 win over the Twins on Monday.

Cespedes connected off pitcher Tommy Milone in the first inning for a three-run home run. It was his fourth home run of the season. He finished the game 2 for 4 with one strike out. He is now hitting .303.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera went 3 for 4 in Sunday's win over Cleveland. Cabrera drove in three runs, including a two-run home run in the sixth inning. 

"You don't have to do too much," Cabrera said to MLB.com. "If you're trying to say, 'OK, I'm trying to hit a double, home run,' it's not going to happen. When you've got speed in front of you and they get on base, you have to take advantage, make something happen. We did that a lot today and it worked for us."

Cabrera is now hitting .377 with three home runs and 13 RBI this season. 

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.