MLB Player News

Center fielder Joc Pederson was one of a few bright spots in what was otherwise a dismal night for the Dodgers, as they were pounded 15-2 by the Mets on Saturday. Pederson went 3 for 4 with a double and a solo home run, his 21st of the year.

Pederson was in need of a game like this for himself, as he came into the night struggling at the dish. The three-hit performance on Saturday gives him a .262 batting average over his past 10 games.

If the Tigers needed a kick-start Saturday against the host Red Sox, left fielder Yoenis Cespedes certainly gave it to them. He homered in the first inning and his team remained ahead the rest of the way.

Cespedes didn't get another hit, but his blast was his 15th of the season and fifth since July 6. His slash line now rests at .287/.319/.488.

Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez isn't in the starting lineup for Sunday's game. To replace him, Justin Turner moves across the diamond from third base. Turner gets his seventh start at first base. 

Replacing turner at third is Alberto Callaspo, who gets his 17th start. 

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller isn't in the starting lineup on Saturday, after starting 69 games at short this season. 

Chris Taylor gets his 24th start, and his second in the last three games. 

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera is progressing well from the calf injury that landed him on the 15-day disabled list, per The Detroit News.

Cabrera has been cleared for light baseball activities. He took throws and some swings in a light batting practice session on Friday.

"Feeling better," Cabrera said. "Making progress. Hopefully it will be soon I can get on the field and try to do some baseball activities."

The Grade 3 calf strain Cabrera suffered is likely to keep him out of the lineup until late August, but he isn't sticking strictly to the timetable.

"I want to say my body will tell me," Cabrera said. "Hopefully I can make good progress. I don't want to say six weeks or eight weeks. I want to see how it feels every day and when I am ready to play I want to say, 'I'm ready to go.' That's my mind(set).

"These injuries can take a long time. Hopefully it can be soon."

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt had a nice night at the plate, as he went 2 for 5 with three RBI and a run scored in Friday's 9-3 win over the A's. Belt ripped an RBI double in the fifth inning, and added a two-run single in the eighth.

Belt has hit safely in 11 of his past 12 games, batting .333 with five two-baggers over that stretch. 

Rockies center fielder Charlie Blackmon went 3 for 5 in Friday's win over Cincinnati. 

Blackmon scored once, drove in a run and stole his 25th base of the year. 

Blackmon now has seven multi-hit games in his last 10. 

Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner went 3 for 5 with two doubles and a home run in Friday's win over the Mets. 

Turner hit in his sixth straight game. He's 13 for 24 with a pair of three-hit games and a four-hit outing over that stretch. He's also homered in two of the last three. 

Turner drove in two runs and has scored in six of the last seven games. 

Twins outfielder Byron Buxton began baseball activities before Friday's game, per MLB.com.

Buxton is on the 15-day disabled list with a thumb injury. 

Manager Paul Molitor said that Buxton fielded ground balls and fly balls in the outfield. He also took swings underwater.

On May 23, Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen had a multi-hit game with a homer. He did the same on June 23.

So perhaps it was meant to be that on Thursday - July 23 - he again achieved that feat. McCutchen, who had not blasted off as part of a multi-hit game over the past month, singled and scored in the first inning and turned a 4-1 lead into a 6-1 lead with a two-run tater in the seventh.

His big game ended a 4-for-24 mini-slump and sweetened his slash line on the year to .289/.389/.496.