MLB Player News

The Phillies have optioned outfielder/first baseman Darin Ruf to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following Saturday's game, according to MLB.com.

Ruf had been getting intermittent playing time lately for the Phillies, but he had been swinging the bat well when he got the chance. Ruf has six hits in 14 at-bats this month, including the 0-for-1 effort on Saturday.

"You never know with things like this," Ruf said, per MLB.com. "Hopefully I can go down and swing the bat well."

Overall this season, Ruf is batting .235 with three home runs.

"It is what it is," Ruf said. "Everyday at-bats don't really matter if I'm just going to come up and resume the same role."

His demotion opens up a roster spot for outfielder Domonic Brown, who will be recalled from Triple-A on Sunday.

Outfielder Bryce Harper had a big day at the plate Saturday in the Nationals' 7-2 victory over the Brewers, but the bigger concern was his knee after he was hit in the ninth inning with a fastball right near the quad muscle.

"It hurts," Harper told The Washington Post. "Really bad. … Squared me up pretty well. 95 to the knee don't feel very good. We'll see what happens tomorrow and see if it feels good."

Manager Matt Williams removed Harper immediately after the injury, and the outfielder said that if his knee didn't improve, he would not play Sunday. He has started all but one game this sason for the Nats. 

Prior to getting hit, Harper was 3-for-3 with a walk and drove in two runs to help Washington end a two-game skid. The Nationals slugger is now hitting .343 with 51 RBIs on the season. 

It was the Giancarlo Stanton show for the Marlins on Saturday, as the slugging right fielder hammered his MLB-leading 23rd home run and drove in all four runs in the team's 4-1 victory over the Rockies. 

In the first inning, Stanton crushed a double to the deepest part of the stadium to give Miami a 2-0 advantage and in the sixth, closed out the scoring with a 393-foot, two-run homer. Stanton now has seven home runs in his last 10 games. 

The slugger now has a league-leading 59 RBIs and is on pace for a 59 homer, 152 RBI season. 

The Twins announced Saturday they are promoting outfielder Byron Buxton to the big league club Sunday, moving MLB's current No. 1 prospect to the majors for the first time. 

Buxton, 21, will be recalled from Double-A Chattanooga in time for the Twins' series finale at Texas. The No. 2 overall pick in 2012, Buxton has bounced back in a big way from injuries that slowed him in 2014. He has a Southern League-leading 12 triples and was hitting .283 at Double-A. 

Buxton was the minors' consensus player of the year in 2013, but dealt with wrist, concussion and finger injuries that limited him to 124 at-bats in 2014. 

"I feel pretty good," Buxton said, per MLB.com. "I've been taking better at-bats. I've been laying off pitches early in the year I was swinging at. It's put me in position to drive the ball into the gaps more."

The Twins have not received much production from their center fielders, and the hope is that Buxton, who has an OPS of .866 and 20 stolen bases, can provide a spark in their lineup. 

Rockies center fielder Charlie Blackmon will get a rest on Saturday. Blackmon is not in the starting lineup, snapping a string of 14 straight starts in center. 

Brandon Barnes replaces Blackmon in center. It's his second start there and first since May 29. He'll bat eighth in the lineup. 

Blue Jays second baseman Ryan Goins snapped a six-game hitless streak during Friday's win over the Red Sox.

Goins went 2 for 4 with two doubles and two runs scored.

Goins is hitting .224 with seven doubles and 15 RBI in 143 at-bats this season.

Athletics left fielder Mark Canha recorded his second consecutive two-hit game in a loss to the Angels on Friday.

Canha went 2 for 4 with a run scored in the 5-4 loss.

In his last seven games, Canha is hitting .400 with two home runs and five RBI in 25 at-bats.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper stayed on his season-long power surge in Friday's 8-4 loss to the Brewers. Harper had two hits in three at-bats, including his 21st home run of the season. Harper's longball was a solo shot in the second inning off Mike Fiers.

Harper has five home runs over his last 15 games and is batting .333 over that span as well. 

Indians center fielder Michael Brantley hit in his tenth straight game in Friday's loss to Detroit. 

Brantley went 2 for 4, with a double, his 19th.

Brantley's streak is the longest active streak in the American League.  

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera drove in all four runs in Friday's 4-0 win over Cleveland. Cabrera hit a three-run home run to open the scoring in the sixth inning, then drove in another run in the eighth. 

"Unfortunately, the two guys up before Miggy get hits and (starter Salazar) tried to throw him a cutter," Indians manager Terry Francona said of the home run. "It was probably middle-middle and he does with it what he does with mistakes."

Cabrera went 2 for 3 with a double, his 12th, and a walk. He hit his second home run in the last five games, giving him 13 on the year, as well as 43 RBI.