MLB Player News

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller had a monster night at the plate as he homered twice and drove in a career-high five runs during Friday's contest against the Astros.

Miller launched a two-run home run in the sixth and a three-run home run in the eighth. He added a single and finished 3 for 5 with a walk, two runs scored and five RBI in a 10-7 victory.

Miller became the first player in franchise history to have two games with four-plus RBI in his first 17 career games. He is hitting .273 with two homers and 12 RBI in 66 at-bats.

Fresh off a Home Run Derby title, Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was scratched from Friday's game against the Angels due to left wrist soreness.

The A's have not given any details on how Cespedes sustained the injury. The 27-year-old is hitting .225 with 15 homers and 43 RBI. He has been held without a home run since June 21, a span of 71 at-bats.

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller went just 3 for 17 (.176) in the last four games leading into the All-Star break, including six strikeouts, to lower his batting line to .246/.324./.393. Strikeouts have been an issue for Miller thus far in the major leagues, as he has whiffed 16 times in 68 plate appearances (23.5 percent). 

One of the biggest issues for prospects coming up to the major leagues is making contact with the advanced breaking balls major-league pitchers possess in comparison to their minor-league brethren. According to Brooks Baseball, Miller has swung and missed at less than 10 percent of all fastballs (including cutters), but he is well over 10 percent on every other pitch type, including over 20 percent on sliders. If he is to hit for average like he did in the minors -- no stint worse than .294 -- he'll have to show an ability to adjust to the slow stuff.

Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera made some nice plays in the field and had a double in Tuesday's All-Star Game win at Citi Field in New York.

Cabrera, batting third, doubled into the right-center gap and scored a run in the 3-0 win.

He finished 1 for 3 with a strikeout and enters the second half of the season batting .365 with 30 homers and 95 RBI. Cabrera is looking for his second consecutive Triple Crown and trails only Chris Davis in homers at the break. Davis has 37. 

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes put an exclamation mark on the Home Run Derby by smashing a 455-foot bomb to straightaway center field to win it Monday night. Cespedes became the first player in history to win the derby despite not making the All-Star team.

Cespedes defeated Bryce Harper in the championship as he hit nine home runs in the final round to Harper's eight. Cespedes bashed monstrous home run after monstrous home run and easily led everyone after a first round 17.

The 27-year-old, batting .225 on the year with 15 homers and 43 RBI, hasn't homered in a game since going deep twice back on June 21 at Seattle.

Some have suggested that Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera should sit out the All-Star Game to rest his ailing back, MLive.com reports Sunday. Manager Jim Leyland never suggested that, however. 

"No," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "That was never an issue."

Cabrera did remove himself from consideration to participate in the Home Run Derby, but was always expected to play in the Midsummer Classic. 

The defending American League Most Valuable Player and Triple Crown winner will be making his first All-Star start. He's batting .367 with 30 home runs and 95 RBI entering Sunday. 

With a .361 batting average in July, Michael Brantley has suddenly become one of the most-added outfielders in Fantasy. It's helped that he's struck out only three times in his 36 at-bats for the Indians this month, but even if he sustains that level of success in making contact, Brantley appears headed for some regression.

Brantley's current .284/.340/..394 slash line is right in line with last season's .288/.348/.402, and his low strikeout rate makes him, at worst, a legitimate top-50 outfielder in points leagues, but he's currently in the top-30 in both Rotisserie and points formats. His 85 RBI pace largely is responsible for that, but it's highly unlikely that Brantley will continue to hit .391 with runners in scoring position.

Especially in Roto leagues, now is the time to find an owner who believes in Brantley maintaining his top-30 value and make a deal. If you don't, you may eventually be stuck with an outfielder who is not even worth starting, once his RBI pace starts to slip. 

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera hit his 30th home run Thursday againt the White Sox.

Cabrera was 1 for 3 with the fifth-inning home run. He trails only Chris Davis (33) in home runs. Cabrera is hitting .366. 

Roc Nation Sports is looking to represent two Cuban major leaguers, Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig and Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, Yahoo! Sports reports. Puig already has met with the agency and reportedly left intrigued.

Roc Nation Sports, led by agent and rapper Jay-Z, signed Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano as its first client earlier this year. The agency has partnered wth Creative Artists Agency.

Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera appeared to be in some pain with his ailing back Tuesday after leaping for a high throw in the eighth inning in a loss to the White Sox. Of course, he stayed in the game and hit a home run in the bottom of the inning, MLive.com reports. 

Manager Jim Leyland is glad that Cabrera has turned down the Home Run Derby invitation because he'll have three days off during the All-Star break to rest the back. 

"I think it will get better even though he's playing," Leyland said. "I think the All-Star break will do him some good. I don't think he'll be going through this all year long, if that's what you mean. I don't think that. I think it's one of those things that it's fine unless a certain thing happens, where he has to make a quick move or something. That seems to be when it might flare up momentarily and then it kind of goes away."