MLB Player News

Pederson batted sixth and went 2-for-4 with a double and a pair of runs scored in Friday's 6-4 win over the Marlins.

A long layoff due to the All-Star Game didn't cool off the young slugger's bat, as Friday's performance boosted his slash line to .315/.438/.699 with seven home runs in the 25 games since returning from the disabled list June 13. He is unlikely to keep that pace going throughout the entire second half of the season, but Pederson does provide cheap pop while batting in a dangerous lineup.

Miller went 1-for-4 with a go-ahead RBI double in Friday's 2-1 extra-inning victory over the Angels.

The slugging infielder's two-bagger to deep center in the 10th plated Wilson Ramos with what turned out to be the winning run, extending his hitting streak since returning from the disabled list to four games in the process. Miller seems like a different hitter since coming back from a 27-game absence due to his groin injury, compiling a .385 average, .506 wOBA and 50.0 percent hard-contact rate in those four contests.

Cabrera went 0-for-4 and left five men on base in Friday's loss to the Blue Jays.

Cabrera certainly had some chances to deliver RBI, but he didn't come through in this one. It's been a down year so far for the veteran slugger, as he's slashing .260/.352/.433. His .785 OPS is nearly 200 points lower than the mark he posted in 2016. Still, Cabrera's track record suggests that a hot streak could be just around the corner.

Cespedes went 4-for-6 with a double, a run scored and an RBI in Friday's 14-2 rout of the Rockies.

It's his first multi-hit performance since June 23, and Cespedes went just 6-for-45 (.133) with no extra-base hits or RBI in the 11 games between those offensive outbursts. The rest he got over the All-Star break may have been exactly what the 31-year-old needed to get back into a groove at the plate.

Vargas was removed from Friday's game early with a foot contusion, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

As it's just a bruise, it would be surprising if this injury kept Vargas on the shelf for long. Consider him day-to-day for now.

Harper went 2-for-4 with a walk, two home runs, three runs scored and three RBI in Friday's 5-0 win over the Reds.

He's got 22 homers, 68 RBI and 72 runs to go along with his 1.042 OPS on the season, and the All-Star break did little to cool Harper down -- he's now hitting .441 (15-for-34) in July with an absurd 7:3 BB:K in nine games.

Buxton left Friday's game with left groin soreness after appearing to lose his balance rounding second base, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

In Buxton's absence, Zach Granite took over in center field with Eddie Rosario covering left field. If Buxton misses any sort of significant time, this would likely be the look of Minnesota's starting outfield. It doesn't sound like this injury will be serious, however, so consider him day-to-day for now. Buxton had been on a roll at the end of the first half of the season after a recent change to his batting stance that removed his leg kick. He was 9-for-19 with a home run over his last five games.

Jimenez was traded to the White Sox on Thursday.

One of the top prospects in all of baseball, Jimenez will make the trek from the North side to the South side of Chicago in a deal that sent Jose Quintana to the Cubs. The outfielder has hit .271/.351/.490 with High-A Myrtle Beach thus far in 2017, adding eight home runs and 32 RBI during his 42 games with the club. Jimenez will be a central piece of the future for the White Sox, and should be making the transition to Double-A in the near future since he has already demonstrated the ability to dominate at the High-A level. Along with Jimenez, the White Sox gained the services of top right-handed pitching prospect Dylan Cease, as well as infielders Matt Rose and Bryant Flete.

Miller went 1-for-4 with a go-ahead two-run home run in Sunday's 5-3 win over the Red Sox.

Miller's 419-foot shot in the eighth with a man on snapped a 3-3 tie and ultimately proved to be the game-winner. The 27-year-old hit the disabled list with a groin injury on June 7 looking lost at the plate, as evidenced by a .194 average and .302 slugging percentage. However, Miller hit well in his minor-league rehab contests and then proceeded to go 4-for-9 with Sunday's homer and three RBI in his return during the weekend series versus the Red Sox. He thus enters the All-Star break on a high note, and the Rays and fantasy owners are undoubtedly hoping his recent surge is a sign he's finally snapping out of his offensive doldrums.

Martinez went 2-for-5 with his first steal of the season and two runs in Sunday's win over the Indians.

Martinez had one steal all of last year and has never had more than six in a season, so don't expect this to become a trend. However, the 29-year-old more than makes up for it with his power potential in the middle of Detroit's lineup, and he's now slashing an impressive .299/.381/.610.