MLB Player News

Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler went 1 for 3 with a run scored and a walk in Saturday's win over San Francisco. 

Soler extended his hitting streak to eight straight games. He's hitting .393 over the streak. 

A matchup against tough Pirates left-hander has Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson out of the lineup Saturday.

Pederson has been slumping with just two hits in his last 27 at-bats to lower his average on the year to .222. He has homered only once since June 29.

Serving as the designated hitter on Friday, Twins outfielder Byron Buxton began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester. The rookie went 3 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored.

Buxton has been out with a thumb injury since the middle of June. There is no timetable for Buxton's return to the lineup.

Don Mattingly has yet to pinpoint a return date for Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, who has been on the 15-day disabled list with a skin infection on his right thigh.

Turner could be back as early as Tuesday, but he has just begun to hit off a tee and Mattingly has indicated it could be Wednesday or Thursday.

"We didn't think it would be that long," Mattingly told MLB.com. "Now he's got to get back in shape to be ready."

Turner has been a pleasant surprise this season and was particularly hot before going down with 17 hits, including two home runs, in his last 37 at-bats.

Nationals slugger Bryce Harper came to the plate five times Thursday. He reached base five times.

That usually means at least one homer or double along the way. But Harper played small ball instead with two singles and three walks. He scored twice and raised his on-base percentage to a league-best .461.

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said Thursday it "wouldn't shock" him if first baseman Miguel Cabrera is back with the team by the end of an upcoming eight-game road trip, which begins Monday and concludes Aug. 19, per MLive.com.

Cabrera has been sidelined with a strained left calf since July 4. It is the first time in his career he is on the disabled list.

Don Mattingly has declared that Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner should be acivated off the disabled list when eligible on Aug. 12, per the Orange County Register.

Turner, who has been sidelined since July 27 with a skin infection, has yet to be cleared for baseball activities.

He has been one of the surprises of the National League this season in earning the starting position and compiling a slash line of .323/.387/.563.

With the team four games under .500 and 12 1/2 games out of first place in the AL Central, the Tigers are in no hurry to bring first baseman Miguel Cabrera off of the disabled list. Cabrera has been out since July 4 with a calf injury, and there is currently no timetable for his return.

Cabrera has been taking batting practice and light running, but he is unable to run long distances yet. For his part, Cabrera was hoping to be on, or close to starting, a minor-league rehab assignment.

"It was my goal," Cabrera said, per MLB.com. "Mentally, I was ready to go out there. It doesn't matter if it bothered me. I know I can play like that."

While the team was still in contention, there was hope that Cabrera would be able to return to the lineup around mid-August. But since they have fallen off, and traded away several key players, the outlook for Cabrera is unclear. 

"After all the trades, I see that [changed]," Cabrera said. "Now I take my time and try to be healthy. Don't try to rush it. Get back when my body tells me I can do it."

The premier prospect in the sport could be returning to the Twins soon. Outfielder Byron Buxton, who has been out since spraining his left thumb on a head-first slide in late June, is tentatively scheduled to join Triple-A Rochester on Friday.

He will remain with the team for at least a road series against Buffalo before rejoining Minnesota.

"He's doing well," Paul Molitor told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "I don't want to say he's 100 percent, but he's doing everything."

The Twins are hoping he hits better upon his return to the Twins. Buxton batted just .189 in his first stint with the team, but did manage five hits in his last four games before going down.

Indians left fielder Michael Brantley went 2 for 4 with a walk in Tuesday's 12-inning win over the Angels. 

Brantley's two singles extended his hitting streak to nine straight games. He's hitting .364 over the streak.