MLB Player News

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez returned to the starting lineup Thursday night against the Angels in Anaheim. Martinez missed Wednesday's game due to a quad injury. He is hitting .327 with 13 homers and 44 RBI in 208 at-bats.

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was held out of the starting lineup Thursday against the Astros after leaving Wednesday's game due to a thumb injury. Brandon Moss was in left field Thursday for Oakland.

Manager Bob Melvin said Cespedes might be available off the bench Thursday and could be back in the lineup Friday at Texas.

Cespedes has been on a roll out of the All-Star break, hitting safely in his first five games. He is batting .381 (8 for 21) with two doubles, two home runs, five RBI and six runs in that span.

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was removed from Wednesday's game in the sixth inning with an apparent thumb injury, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Cespedes had a big night before coming out of the game, going 2 for 4 with two home runs and five RBI to help his team take a 7-0 lead by the end of the fourth inning. He has hit .254/.305/.460 with 16 home runs and 61 RBI in 374 at-bats.

Upper quad discomfort prevented Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez from making his appointed rounds Wednesday in Arizona.

Martinez felt a twinge after singling in the eighth inning of the Tuesday loss to the Diamondbacks. He should be considered day-to-day at this point. His torrid stretch has been interrupted by a 3-for-20 slide. Martinez has scored just one run in the last seven games and driven in none in the last four.

The Blue Jays plan to recall pitching prospect Aaron Sanchez and infielder Ryan Goins Tuesday, according to SportsNet.ca.

Sanchez is expected to pitch out of the bullpen for the Blue Jays, as he was converted to relief at Triple-A Buffalo. Goins' time with the team will likely be shorter, as he is being called up to cover for Steve Tolleson's paternity leave stint. 

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley came up big at the plate, cranking out four hits in his team's 9-3 win over the Tigers in Detroit.

Brantley singled in the fourth, singled twice in the seventh and doubled in the ninth inning. He finished 4 for 5 with a stolen base and two runs scored. He is hitting .329 with 15 homers and 63 RBI in 356 at-bats.

Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera clubbed a home run in his first at-bat Tuesday.

Cabrera wasted little time getting to work. On the second pitch he saw, he belted a line drive out to left for a two-run shot. Cabrera lined out and flew out in his final two at-bats. He finished 1 for 3, with one run scored and two RBI. 

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera did some back-tracking Tuesday, according to MLB.com.

During Monday's session with the media, Cabrera admitted his recovery from groin surgery hasn't been perfect. "There are times when I feel good, but there are always muscles that are tightening, muscles that are not functioning properly,” Cabrera told USA Today reporter Jorge Ortiz. He added that both he and Justin Verlander were struggling with their recovery from surgeries, but both agreed not to make excuses for their performances. 

Cabrera back-tracked on those statements Tuesday, telling reporters he was "good" when asked about those quotes. While Cabrera's numbers are lower than usual, he's still been exceptional on offense. Over 343 at-bats, Cabrera is hitting .306/.364/.534, with 14 home runs. 

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and Reds third baseman Todd Frazier survived tiebreaking swing-offs in the first round before eventually meeting in the finals of Monday's Home Run Derby, where Cespedes picked up his second straight title with a 9-1 knockout of Frazier.

Cespedes' three first-round homers earned him a swingoff with Athletics teammate Josh Donaldson, and after Donaldson managed just one home run three swings, the outfielder delivered homers in each of his first two swings to advance. He defeated Orioles outfielder Adam Jones 9-3 in the second round after Jones managed four first-round shots, then took down Jose Bautista, who had a competition-best 10 homers in the first round, by a score of 7-4 in the AL Final. Twins home-field competitor Brian Dozier hit just two home runs in the first round, failing to advance.

Frazier played the role of underdog throughout, hitting just two home runs as the first batter in the competition but managing to slide into a swing-off with Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau after Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig failed to hit a single home run before recording seven outs. Frazier went first in the swing-off and managed one home run in three swings but advanced after Morneau went 0 for 3. The Reds third baseman took down Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki 6-2 after Tulowitzki hit four first-round homers. Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton earned a bye after hitting six massive blasts in the first round, but he bowed out to Frazier 1-0 after a long break.

Cespedes joined Ken Griffey as the only players to win back-to-back Home Run Derby titles. He'll likely enter the 2015 competition as the favorite to make it three in a row.

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes experienced more hamstring tightness during Saturday's loss to the Mariners, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Cespedes is expected to serve as a designated hitter during Sunday's series finale at Safeco Field.

Cespedes is hitting .249 with 14 homers and 56 RBI in 349 at-bats. The injury is not expected to impact his status in this year's Home Run Derby.