MLB Player News

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera didn't hit a home run for a fourth straight game, but he did drive in the Tigers' only run with a first-inning double in a 2-1 loss to the Cardinals on Sunday night. 

Cabrera put the Tigers on the board first with a double to center and drew a walk later in the game. He's now hitting .333 on the year and is tied for first in the American League with three others with 30 RBI. 

During his five-game hitting streak, Cabrera has nine hits and nine RBIs. 

Outfielder Bryce Harper continued his torrid month for the Nationals, going 3-for-4 with a home run, three runs scored and four RBIs as Washington crushed the Padres 10-5 on Sunday. 

Harper hit his MLB-leading 14th homer in the seventh inning, already surpassing his home run total from last season. He finished just a double short of the cycle and improved his slash line to .338/.476/.729. 

"I think [Harper] is just playing," manager Matt Williams said to MLB.com. "He is understanding the strike zone. He is taking a walk when it's offered to him. When he gets guys in scoring position, he is aggressive and waiting for a good pitch to hit. That's the difference for any hitter. Somebody that has his ability, it makes a huge difference."

During the month of May, Harper is hitting .418 with nine homers and 22 RBIs, leading fans at San Diego's Petco Park to chant "MVP!"

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller homered again on Sunday, now collecting three long balls in two games.

Miller's hitting, overall, has been heating up as he's nine for his last 21 (.429 avg.) with four homers and five RBI.

"I'm not trying to read too much into what's happening," Miller said to MLB.com. "If you are going to play baseball, you deal with situations. The way to play every day is to be consistent over the long-term. If you worry about things that are out of your control, it can take away from your performance."

Phillies first baseman Darin Ruf went 2 for 3 at the plate in Philadelphia's 6-0 win over the Diamondbacks on Sunday.

Ruf did his damage in the fourth inning when he crushed the first pitch he saw from Josh Collmenter over the center field wall, his third of the season. Ruf is now hitting .208 with seven RBI in 77 at-bats this season.

The Twins are expected to activate Eduardo Nunez from the disabled list on Tuesday and option Kennys Vargas to Triple-A, according to MLB.com. The team later confirmed the report.

Nunez has been on the 15-day DL with an oblique injury, but has taken batting practice as recently as Sunday. He was hitting .409 with two RBI in 22 at-bats before going on the DL.

Vargas has slowed down after his hot start. He is hitting .250 with 10 RBI in 104 at-bats this season. 

"He needs to go down there and work on his game," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "Trying to take the pressure off him. It's not unusual for a guy to have to do that at some juncture. So it's best for him in the short-term."

Molitor wants Vargas to take the opportunity to work on his confidence at the plate.

"I think more than mechanics right now, it's more about what's in his head when he gets into the batter's box," Molitor said. "You have a guy who can be a valuable part of the middle of your lineup and can be a run producer, but through 100 at-bats it really hasn't happened for him so I think the best thing for him is to go down there and try to find a groove and relax a little bit and hopefully play better."

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt went 3 for 4 with a walk, a solo home run and three runs scored in his team's 9-8 win over the Reds on Sunday.

Belt scored runs in the second and third inning to help his team build a 6-1 lead by the middle of the third. After the Reds were able to rally, he then pushed his team's lead to 9-7 with a solo home run in the ninth, a run that proved critical to landing the Giants a win.

Belt has racked up three hits and a home run in each of his last three games to boost his line to .321/.392/.509 with three home runs and 14 RBI in 112 at-bats.

With regular Athletics first baseman Ike Davis on the 15-day DL, Mark Canha and Max Muncy are expected to split time at first base, manager Bob Melvin said per CSN Bay Area.

Canha is hitting .226/.293/.396 with five home runs in 106 at-bats this season. Muncy is also considered the top backup role at third base and is hitting .222 with one RBI in 18 at-bats. 

It's been no secret this season that Bryce Harper is having a sensational year at the plate for the Nationals, but the right fielder's defense has also been much improved, according to the Washington Post.

“I’m extremely happy with the way he’s been playing,” said first base and outfield coach Tony Tarasco. “He’s getting more and more comfortable.”

Harper had switched positions (left field to right field) this season with Jayson Werth.

“I feel great,” Harper said. “It’s a lot easier than left. Everybody talks about right being easy. I don’t know if it’s easy, but it’s a lot better than left. Left was so hard."

Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes hurt his thumb late in Saturday's game, but it didn't keep him out of Sunday's lineup. 

Cespedes bent his thumb back trying to make a catch. He remained in the game, but his availability for Sunday was questionable. 

Twins designated hitter Kennys Vargas is out of the lineup for a second straight game on Sunday.

"I think it's good for him to back off a little bit now and then," manager Paul Molitor said before the game, per the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "We've been doing that. I'm sure it's tough for him. Try to let him know to keep working and your name is going to be called at some point and come back and hopefully he can contribute."

Vargas has picked things up offensively in May, going 15 for 40 with two home runs and six RBI after ending April with a .172/.232/.234 line. However, he's also struck out five times in his last three games.