MLB Player News

Hope that Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton can return by his Friday target date has faded, per MLB.com.

Stanton said Tuesday he felt "not 100 percent."

A broken hand has prevented Stanton from playing since June 26. He has not played in any rehab games.

Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes stayed red-hot at the plate on Thursday, as he connected on a two-run home run in the 9-5 win over the Phillies. Cespedes' home run came in the fifth inning, as the Mets stormed back to erase a five-run deficit.

The home run was Cespdes' only hit of the night, but it was his eighth longball since coming to the Mets at the July 31 trade deadline. Perhaps even more impressively, over his last eight games, Cespedes is batting .350 with six home runs and 15 RBI. He has certainly been a catalyst for the Mets' recent upswing.

Andrew McCutchen had a big night at the plate for the Pirates, driving in four runs to help his team cruise to a victory over the Marlins. 

McCutchen got the Pirates on the board with a first-inning double and followed that with a three-run homer in the second as Pittsburgh opened a 7-1 lead. McCutchen now has five home runs and 19 RBIs in August. 

With his 20th home run, McCutchen has now reached that benchmark in five straight seasons.

Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton could be nearing a return from a broken hand. Stanton, who has been on on the disabled list since the end of June, is hoping to return by September 4 against the Mets, according to MLB.com.

"I'm feeling good," Stanton said on Tuesday. "I'd say I'm still about a week and a half [away]."

Stanton is not expected to play in any rehab games, mainly due to the fact that the minor-league schedule is starting to wrap up. 

"I know he's been progressing in a good way," manager Dan Jennings said. "I had a good visit with him [Monday]. He told me he was feeling stronger, didn't feel it when he turned his wrist. That's a good sign."

Despite missing two months with the injury, Stanton still ranks fifth in the National League with 27 home runs.

The Cubs have placed outfielder Jorge Soler on the 15-day disabled list with an oblique strain, an injury that could sideline him for one month, per the Chicago Tribune. 

Soler had been hitting .284 in August, with two home runs and 14 RBIs. He's played in 90 games for Chicago this season, hitting .265 with 42 RBIs. 

Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter was ejected from Saturday's game against the Padres. Carpenter was tossed for arguing balls and strikes in the fifth inning. He was 0 for 3 prior to the ejection.

Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes had a huge night at the plate in Friday's 14-9 thrashing of the Rockies. Cespedes went 5 for 6 with three home runs, seven RBI, five runs scored, a double and a stolen base. 

Cespedes took full advantage of the thin air in Coors Field, as he recorded career-highs in hits, home runs and RBI in this one. He entered the game with two home runs since joining the Mets at last month's trade deadline. The three longballs give him 23 on the year.

Cespedes crushed a grand slam--the second of his career--in the second inning. He added a solo shot in the fourth and a two-run bomb in the sixth. He attempted to become the first player in MLB history to hit a home run cycle (a solo home run, two-run homer, three-run shot and grand slam), but he fell just short of that feat.

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton had to skip a day of hitting on Thursday because of pain in his wrist while hitting, per the Sun-Sentinel.

Stanton is still hopeful to return to the Marlins' lineup in September.

"It's just wrist weakness. Not the actual surgical part; the impact on my incision area is fine. It's the weakness in my wrist in turning over," Stanton said.

"It's a little different than [with a] muscle; at 75 percent of a muscle you can jog and still do some functional things. But I need 100 percent of my wrist. I can't go up and [face] 95 miles per hour and just have 75 percent of my wrist. I need all of that to turn it over."

Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton is targeting a September return after missing nearly two months with a left hamate fracture.

"We're getting there," he told Fox Sports. "Slowly, but we're getting there."

Stanton has been working in the batting cage to build up strength in his wrist. He acknowledges that there is still pain. His goal is to hit for at least five consecutive days without pain, but he's not close to that yet.

"When I can do that I'll be back," he said. "I got to two. We'll go from there. Two and then I couldn't get to the third, so start again today."

Stanton led both leagues in homers and RBI before going down. He still ranks fifth in the National League with 27 blasts despite his long absence.

Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi has stated that newly acquired Chase Utley could be used at third base when injured second baseman Howie Kendrick returns in early September, per MLB.com.

That would mean less playing time for current third baseman Justin Turner, who has had a surprisingly strong season. Turner owns a fine .312/.373/.543 slash line on the year, but is hitless in his last 12 at-bats.