MLB Player News

Cespedes went 1-for-2 with a walk, a double and two RBI in Wednesday's win over the Phillies.

After slugging three homers Tuesday, Cespedes wasn't quite done abusing Phillies pitching before the Mets left town. The extra-base outburst has now pushed his slash line up to .265/.350/.706 with four homers, eight RBI and seven runs scored through nine games.

Turner (quadriceps) entered the game as a pinch hitter Wednesday against the Cubs and recorded a groundout to second.

Turner stepped in for Joc Pederson in the eighth inning of Wednesday's game, showing that he is both available off the bench and nearing a return to the lineup. Look for Turner's bat back in the lineup when the Dodgers wrap up their series against Brett Anderson and the Cubs on Thursday afternoon. The 32-year-old is already 6-for-17 with three doubles against left-handed pitching this season.

Stanton went 2-for-3 with a walk and a pair of two-run home runs in Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Braves.

The long balls were his first of the season, but it was only a matter of time before Stanton began putting souvenirs in the seats. The right fielder is now slashing .290/.371/.517 through eight games, and given his track record, Wednesday's outburst could be the beginning of a homer barrage.

Manager Dave Roberts said he expects to have Turner (quadriceps) back in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Cubs, David Vassegh of 570 LA Sports reports.

Turner is reportedly feeling much better, and should even be available off the bench Wednesday should the Dodgers need a pinch hitter. The 32-year-old is 10-for-28 with five doubles and a stolen base through seven games this year. He'll reclaim his spot at the hot corner once he's able to return.

Soler (oblique) is expected to take batting practice this weekend, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

An oblique strain forced Soler to the DL to begin the 2017 season, but he's seemingly close to beginning a rehab assignment. Perhaps the Royals will assign Soler to a minor-league affiliate early next week if all goes well this weekend. Soler struggled during spring training (7-for-49 with 18 strikeouts), but he's expected to have an everyday job in right field waiting for him upon activation.

Turner (quad) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports.

Despite benefiting from the Dodgers being off the schedule Tuesday, Turner wasn't able to get over the quad injury in time to enter the lineup for the second game of the team's series with the Cubs. The Dodgers haven't indicated that a stint on the disabled list is imminent for Turner, but his absence Wednesday will nonetheless open up a start at second base for Chase Utley, while Logan Forsythe moves over to cover third base for Turner.

Carpenter is back in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Nationals, batting third and playing first base, Jim Hayes of Fox Sports Midwest reports.

Carpenter missed Tuesday's game after experiencing back tightness, but it appears he's good to go after a day of rest. The lefty is off to a tough start this year with a .208 average through eight games, and it may not get much easier with Max Scherzer toeing the rubber for Washington on Wednesday.

Goins went 0-for-2 with a walk and struck out once in his first start of the season Tuesday against Milwaukee.

Nearly every Blue Jays player had seen their name grace the starting lineup before the team returned home from a six-game road trip to start the season. Everybody except for Goins, that is. The utility man has carved out a niche as a late-game defensive substitute, but offers little in terms of offensive production. It would take a slew of injuries for Goins to become relevant in any fantasy format.

Manager Brad Ausmus said Tuesday that he does not expect Martinez (foot) will need a full 20-day rehab assignment, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

The Tigers are not providing a timetable for Martinez's return to action, but the fact that they are talking about a rehab assignments speaks to the outfielder's progress. Ausmus said Martinez is progressing "extremely well," having advanced to regular batting practice Monday. The biggest tests -- namely running and cutting in the outfield -- still await, but a return before the end of the month seems well within the realm of possibility.

Buxton is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Tigers, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Eddie Rosario will start in center field against right-hander Michael Fulmer. Buxton has looked completely lost at the dish early on this season, going 2-for-29 with 17 strikeouts to one walk. A recent move down in the batting order (down to the eight-hole) hasn't helped matters. While the 23-year-old has flashed brilliance on the defensive side, and the team has every incentive to let him learn on the job, Buxton will need to show some signs of improvement to justify a regular spot in the lineup.