MLB Player News

Stanton went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an RBI double during a 7-2 win over the Blue Jays on Saturday.

Stanton smashed his first home run since June 24 as injuries have severely limited his playing time this year. In just 40 at-bats, the 29-year-old is batting .300 with two home runs and nine RBI. As expected, Stanton played just six innings Saturday as he builds up his stamina with an eye on the postseason.

Belt is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Braves, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

While Belt has not been a strict platoon player this season -- he has made 28 starts against lefties -- lately manager Bruce Bochy has been turning elsewhere when the Giants face a southpaw. Austin Slater gets the nod at first base in this one.

Brantley is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Angels, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The Astros want to keep Kyle Tucker involved to an extent; on Saturday, Tucker's start will come at Brantley's expense. Brantley could probably use another breather anyway, if his numbers so far in September are any indication (.172/.246/.276).

Cabrera was scratched from Saturday's lineup with knee soreness, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

There are very few details at this time. At this point in the year -- and given Cabrera's history -- there would seem to be a real chance of a shutdown even if the injury is minor.

Martinez (groin) will serve as the designated hitter and bat cleanup Saturday against the Rays.

Martinez has not yet been cleared to return to the outfield, but he is well enough to DH, and that's really all that matters for our purposes. While the 32-year-old has been struggling in September (.133 average), he still has a .301 average and .944 OPS for the season.

Torrens went 1-for-2 with a walk in Friday's loss to the Diamondbacks.

A day after Torrens came off the bench and received two at-bats against Milwaukee, he was penciled in as the starter behind the plate against Arizona. The 23-year-old responded with a single and a walk, making him the only Padre to reach base twice in the contest. Torrens figures to receive additional opportunities to start down the stretch as San Diego seeks to evaluate the catching position in preparation for next season. Torrens could certainly be in the mix for a larger role in the majors in 2020 after hitting .300 with 15 homers and 62 RBI while throwing out 46 percent of would-be base stealers in 97 games with Double-A Amarillo this season.

Cabrera went 1-for-2 with an RBI before getting lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning of Friday's 10-1 loss to the White Sox.

While Cabrera's power has mostly evaporated this season, his .285 batting average and .350 on-base percentage are solid, and the veteran is also second in the American League with a .380 average with runners in scoring position. However, with the Tigers sitting at 45-108, Cabrera doesn't figure to play every day over the final nine games, and he could exit early like he did Friday when he does start.

Turner (ankle) will be limited to three at-bats in his return to the lineup Saturday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Manager Dave Roberts likened Turner's return to a spring training game in which he is allotted a pre-determined number of at-bats before departing, regardless of game flow. The plan is likely to extend through Sunday, as Turner is expected to start both weekend games as long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks. Turner made his first plate appearance in nearly two weeks Friday, drawing a walk as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning.

Martinez (groin) is expected to play Saturday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Martinez has missed the last three games due to the injury. If he plays, it will likely be as the designated hitter; however, manager Alex Cora will try to juggle playing time for Martinez and fellow outfielder Mookie Betts, who has been dealing with a foot injury. Betts was the DH on Friday and will be evaluated for outfield duty over the final three games of the series.

Jimenez went 3-for-5 with a triple, a grand slam and a second run scored in Friday's 10-1 rout of the Tigers.

The White Sox were already up 5-1 when Jimenez took Jordan Zimmermann deep in the fourth inning with the bases loaded, putting the game away. The rookie slugger is ending 2019 on a high note -- he's got an 11-game hitting streak going, slashing .426/.471/.851 with five homers and 17 RBI over that stretch, and Jimenez needs just one more long ball for 30 on the year.