MLB Player News

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez belted his seventh home run Friday against the Indians.

Martinez stepped to the plate in the eighth inning with two men on base. He homered on the first pitch he saw from John Axford, taking a 95 mph fastball out to right. Martinez also singled and doubled earlier in the game. He finished 3 for 4, with one run scored and three RBI. 

Martinez is hitting .317 over 104 at-bats.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley took part in a normal pregame routine Friday, as he continues to work his way back from a mild concussion.

Brantley will go through a normal pregame routine Saturday before being checked out by doctors one last time according to MLB.com. If he is cleared, he will be in the lineup against the Tigers, after missing four games as a result of the issue.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley will hit on the field Friday, according to MLB.com.

Brantley is be re-evaluated following his on-field performance. If cleared, he would return to the lineup Saturday. Brantley is hitting .323/.391/.519 over 266 at-bats.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley was not in the team's starting lineup Friday.

Brantley is still recovering from a concussion. He's not expected to play until Saturday at the earliest. In 266 at-bats, Brantley is hitting .323/.391/.519.

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez completely overhauled his swing during the offseason, according to FoxSports.com.

Martinez watched video of both Miguel Cabrera and Ryan Braun, and attempted to take things from their swings. He worked with a personal hitting coach for three weeks, and then tested his new approach in Venezuela. "If you watch video of me in the past, it’s the complete opposite — it’s that extreme," Martinez said. "It’s kind of like I reinvented myself."

Martinez is hitting .300/.333/.570 over 100 at-bats.

With Torii Hunter sidelined by a hamstring injury, J.D. Martinez has started seven of the last eight games for the Tigers and has certainly made the most of the opportunity, batting .400 (12 for 30) with three homers. He now has six homers in 100 at-bats, which for most players would obviously be too good to be true, but maybe not for one who has routinely trounced the minor leagues, batting .332 with a .942 OPS over six seasons.

In other words, you're right to be intrigued. At age 26, Martinez isn't beyond a breakout even if his previous stints in the majors all ended in disappointment. Just look at Lonnie Chisenhall.

Unfortunately, Martinez has even clearer threats to his playing time than Chisenhall. His latest home run Thursday was just his third hit of any kind off a left-handed pitcher, giving him a .094 (3 for 32) batting average against them. Rajai Davis, meanwhile, has always hit lefties well, batting .295 for his career and .302 this year.

Austin Jackson isn't sitting, so where does that leave Martinez when Hunter returns Sunday? In a platoon, most likely.

As mixed-league owners are finding out with Corey Dickerson, platoon players don't make for the most reliable starters in Fantasy. I'm not bothering with Martinez outside of AL-only leagues.

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez homered for the second straight game and third time in four games, while extending his hitting streak to nine games during a 2-1 win Thursday vs. Kansas City. 

Martinez's only hit Thursday was a two-out solo home run off Danny Duffy in the fourth inning, which was the go-ahead hit and stood as the eventual game winner.

Martinez is batting .412 (14 for 34) with three home runs, four doubles, five runs and eight RBI during his nine-game hit streak. He's totaled six home runs, six doubles and 16 RBI in his last 20 games since May 18.

The Tigers might be mired in a pretty bad slump, losing 20 of their last 29 games through Wednesday, but amid the tough times has been the surprising play of outfielder J.D. Martinez. The 26-year-old outfielder is batting .355 with a .694 slugging percentage, 1.072 OPS, five home runs, six doubles and 15 RBI in his last 19 games.

Martinez's hot streak hasn't slipped past manager Brad Ausmus, who said "we have to" keep Martinez in the lineup because "he's swinging the bat well." (per MLive.com). That statement right there is really encouraging for Fantasy owners.

Ausmus doesn't have an easy job because he has four outfielders -- Martinez, Rajai Davis, Austin Jackson and Torii Hunter -- for three spots. Not to forget Andy Dirks (back) might be back next month. But even Ausmus is sensing he's probably going to have to keep Martinez in the lineup on a regular basis while his numbers are this good.

I know Martinez failed in Houston and didn't get off to a great start after his promotion from the minors this season. But prior to his callup, he was tearing the cover off the ball, like he is doing now. He hit .308 with an .846 slugging percentage, 1.212 OPS, 10 home runs and 22 RBI in 17 games for Triple-A Toledo. 

Ausmus even said Martinez profiles as a No. 5 hitter because of his power. If he keeps hitting behind Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez, then he's going to get pitches to hit and this might be more than a hot streak. We just have to hope Ausmus sticks to his word and finds regular playing time for Martinez.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley was not in the team's starting lineup Thursday.

As expected, Brantley will need more time to recover from a concussion. As of right now, the team will not place him on the seven-day concussion disabled list. There's a chance Brantley will return to action Saturday.

Over 266 at-bats, Brantley is hitting .323/.391/.519.

Indians manager Terry Francona told MLB Network Radio that outfielder Michael Brantley has a mild concussion but might be able to avoid a trip to the 7-day disabled list and return Saturday. Brantley took a shot to the head Monday while sliding into second base, then was scratched Tuesday due to head and neck soreness.

He's hitting .323 with 11 homers and 46 RBI in 266 at-bats.