MLB Player News

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter went 2 for 4 with two walks and a RBI in Thursday's loss to the Padres.

Carpenter entered the game with just two hits over his last 12 at-bats.

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller was held out of the starting lineup Thursday against the Athletics for the first time in 18 games and just the fourth time since May 24. Chris Taylor, who was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday, replaced Miller in the starting lineup at shortstop.

Since June 1, Miller is batting .256 with one triple, two home runs, three doubles, eight RBI, eight runs, 10 walks, 19 strikeouts and three stolen bases in his last 27 games.

Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez slugged a three-run home run on Thursday, but it wasn't enough to avoid the 8-4 loss to the Pirates. Martinez's eighth-inning blast, his 21st of the season, cut the Pirates' lead to 4-3. But Pittsburgh would put up a four-spot in the ninth inning, keeping the Tigers at bay.

Martinez now has eight home runs in his last nine games, and he is batting .359 with 16 RBI over that stretch. 

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt went 2 for 4 with one RBI during Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Marlins. He also struck out twice.

Prior to his two-hit game Thursday, Belt was hitting .170 with one home run and six RBI in his last 14 games.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley drove in two runs Thursday to help lead the team to a 5-4 win over the Rays.

Brantley drove in one run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth and then hit a single in the fifth to drive in Jason Kipnis. He finished the game 1 for 4 with two strikeouts.

Prior to Thursday's win, Brantley was hitting .267 with two doubles and four RBI in his last 11 games.

Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler could return to the lineup this weekend, manager Joe Maddon told reporters Thursday. 

Soler, who is on the 15-day disabled list due to an ankle sprain, is 0 for 7 with three strikeouts through his first two rehab games with Triple-A Iowa. He will play again Thursday before he is re-evaluated.

"It depends on what he looks like," Maddon said, per ESPN.com. "I haven’t really heard anything pro or con. He’s just getting his feet on the ground again."

Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez went 3 for 4 in Wednesday's loss to the Pirates.

Martinez is hitting .372 with 16 hits, seven home runs and 14 RBI over his last 10 games.

Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson is not in the lineup for Wednesday's matchup against the Diamondbacks.

Perderson will be replaced in the leadoff spot and center field by Enrique Hernandez.

Over his last 12 games, Pederson is hitting just .220 with nine hits, three home runs and five RBI.

The Cardinals have returned third baseman Matt Carpenter and second baseman Kolten Wong to the starting lineup for Wednesday's matchup with the White Sox. Both players were rested on Tuesday against Chris Sale, but they will take their normal positions in Wednesday's lineup.

Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez hit a game-tying two-run home run in the eighth inning, sending Tuesday's game to extras. The Tigers eventually lost in 14.

Martinez hit his 20th homer of the year. He's homered in four of the last five games and has seven homers in the last seven. 

Martinez went 3 for 6 with two runs scored.