MLB Player News

Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson hit a solo home run for the team's only run in a 3-1 loss to St. Louis on Sunday. 

Pederson went deep in the eighth inning for one of just two Dodger hits on the day. It was his 13th homer of the year and ninth in the month of May. 

Pederson went 1 for 3 with a walk and drove in his 24th run of the year. 

After taking Saturday off, first baseman Justin Bour is back in the lineup against the Mets. Bour, batting fourth, is hitting .361 in 28 games this season. 

Ichiro Suzuki is getting the start in center field for Marcell Ozuna, who appears to be getting the day off. Suzuki will bat fifth. 

Catcher Jhonatan Solano is also in the lineup.  

After taking a day off due to a sore back, Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper has returned to the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds. 

Harper was hit by a pitch on Friday and missed Saturday's game as a result. Harper is batting in his usual cleanup spot. Clint Robinson filled in for Harper on Saturday. 

Also returning to the lineup is Wilson Ramos, who will hit sixth. 

Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez went 3 for 4 at the plate in Detroit's 8-6 loss to the Angels on Saturday. Martinez ripped two doubles, pushing his total to 11 on the year, and scored two runs in the contest. 

Martinez is now hitting .266 with 22 RBI in 188 at-bats this season.

Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes went 2 for 4 at the plate in Detroit's 8-6 loss to the Angels on Saturday. Cespedes did his damage in the second when he crushed a 1-2 pitch from Jered Weaver over the left field wall for a solo home run, his seventh of the season.

Cespedes is now hitting .284 with 28 RBI on the year.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley has been hobbled for parts of the 2015 season while battling a back injury. He was kept out of action in spring training and in April with the issue and may be dealing with it again, manager Terry Francona said per MLB.com.

"I would think, as you get to where you're playing 20 in a row, everybody starts to feel stuff," Francona said. "I don't think he's really comfortable talking about it, because I think he feels like, 'Hey, if I'm playing, I'm playing.' I think he's done a good job with it.

"I don't want to put words in his mouth, but he hasn't been complaining about it. But, I'd bet you he does feel it sometimes. He's a tough kid."

Brantley has been choosing when to push himself lately.

"He tries to pick his spots a little bit," Francona said. "We've talked about it a little bit and I've actually probably encouraged it. One of the things I think every manager loves is when a guy just runs down the bases like their pants are on fire. But, we've actually talked, because keeping him out there is so big for us. Having him just keeping an eye on things, I think makes some sense."

Bryce Harper, who missed Saturday's game due to back soreness from getting hit with a pitch on Friday, remains questionable for Sunday's series finale, per The Washington Post. 

Harper, who was drilled between the numbers with a fastball late in Friday's contest, underwent "lots of treatment," according to Nationals manager Matt Williams during Saturday's game but remains sore. 

Harper said he has a bone bruise, and that when he swung a bat, he could feel the pain. He wants to wait for his back to heal so he doesn't alter his swing mechanics, according to the Post. Harper owns a five-game hitting streak, during which he has two home runs to give him 18 on the season. He's hitting .328/.468/.733 so far this season. 

Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton is officially the Mets' worst night mare. Stanton drilled two home runs on Saturday, as the Marlins won 9-5. 

Stanton first launched a solo shot off Jonathon Niese in the second inning to put the Fish up 3-1. Then, with the Marlins already up 7-5, Stanton added another solo home run, 466-foot bomb in the ninth inning. That's the longest home run in the history of CitiField.

"Since I've started here, they've brought the fences in a couple of times," Stanton said, per MLB.com. "That's always good for us. I feel like it plays fair, except for left field. It's a little close. But the rest plays a little fair."

Overall, Stanton went 2 for 4 with the two bombs, as his batting average now rests at .232 for the season.

Stanton now has 15 longballs this year, with five of them coming against the Mets.

Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said when Victor Martinez went out of the lineup due to injury that J.D. Martinez would likely handle cleanup duties for the Tigers. However, it's been Yoenis Cespedes that's found a home at No. 4, as he will hit cleanup for the fourth straight game on Saturday. 

Cespedes is 2-for-11 with one homer and three RBIs in the last three contests as cleanup hitter, but the Tigers haven't been able to muster much offense as a team, scoring just six runs in their last five games. Cespedes is hitting .308 against Angels starter Jered Weaver in 13 career at-bats. 

A sore back has cost sizzling Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper a start Saturday night in Cincinnati, per MASNSports.com.

The issue was the result of a hit-by-pitch off a fastball thrown Friday by Tony Cingrani.

Harper owns a five-game hitting streak, during which he has two home runs to give him 18 on the season. He boasts a sensational slash line of .328/.468/.733.