MLB Player News

The Giants returned second baseman Joe Panik and first baseman Brandon Belt to the starting lineup on Saturday against the Angels. Both players received a day off on Friday.

Panik, who was the walk-off hero in the Giants' win Friday night, was back playing second base and batting second. Panik has been alternating starts with Matt Duffy over the past week.

Belt returned to first base and was batting sixth for manager Bruce Bochy on Saturday. Belt has been hitting well lately, batting .385 over his last 10 games. Although, the team is hoping he finds his power swing, as he has yet to hit a home run this year and has just five RBI.

Athletics left fielder Mark Canha was instrumental in his team's come-from-behind victory against the Rangers on Friday night. Canha, who had entered the game with just six hits in has last 24 at-bats, went 2 for 4 with a two-run home run.

Canha's home run, his third of the season and second in as many games, led off the top of the eighth inning, an inning in which the A's would score seven runs en route to the 7-5 win. In fact, both of Canha's hits on Friday came in that eighth inning. 

Twins outfielder Oswaldo Arcia returned to the lineup for Saturday's game against the White Sox. Arcia, who had been held out of the lineup each of the last two games, was batting seventh and playing right field. 

Torii Hunter was moved to designated hitter on Saturday as Kennys Vargas was given the day off. Arcia is currenlty riding a four-game hit streak, entering play on Saturday. 

Cubs manager Joe Maddon swapped Dexter Fowler and Jorge Soler in the batting order on Saturday against Mike Fiers and the Brewers, per the team's official website.

Soler, who has only four hits in his last 30 at-bats with 17 strikeouts, moved to the leadoff spot for the first time in his career, while Dexter Fowler was dropped to the No. 2 hole in the order. Soler went 2 for 4 on Friday. Fowler is hitting .440 (11 for 25) with a walk, a double and two RBI over his last seven games played.

Chicago is favored (-166) at Wrigley Field, per VegasInsider.com.

Indians left fielder Michael Brantley went 2 for 5 with a two-run home run in Friday night's victory over the Blue Jays. Brantley also singled and scored twice on the evening. Brantley's fourth-inning bomb broke a 4-4 tie, and the Indians went on to win 9-4.

This was Brantley's first home run of the year, after hitting 20 last season. However, Brantley is still hitting well, with a slash line of .455/.486/.697 over his last eight games. 

Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson broke open Friday's game against the Diamondbacks when he hit a grand slam off Rubby De La Rosa in the second inning to help send the Dodgers to a 8-0 win.

It was Pederson's fifth home run of the season. He finished the game 1 for 3 and is now batting .300 on the season. The four RBI were a season high for Pederson.

Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna was a perfect 4 for 4 at the plate during Friday's 4-3 win over the Phillies.

Ozuna's biggest hit came in the ninth inning when he drove in Giancarlo Stanton on a double for the game-winning run. The four hits were a season high for Ozuna. Prior to Friday's game, he had yet to collect more than two hits in any game this season.

Rockies center fielder Charlie Blackmon is set to sit Friday for only the second time this season. Drew Stubbs is manning the position while DJ LeMahieu will lead off.

Blackmon, who is 4-for-18 in his career against Padres starter Ian Kennedy, was hitless in his last game after four straight multi-hit performances.

The Giants are going with Matt Duffy and Andrew Susac in Friday night's lineup for their game against the Angels. 

Duffy has been alternating starts at second base with Joe Panik and has been tabbed for this one. Susac is getting the start at catcher, meaning Buster Posey will play first base.

Brandon Belt is not starting as Nori Aoki is in the lineup and playing in left field. 

With Jose Reyes on the disabled list and Devon Travis getting his second day off this season, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons decided to shake up his lineup Friday against the Indians.

Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion all moved up one spot in the lineup, which meant Donaldson moved into the leadoff spot. It was the first time in Donaldson's career he hit leadoff.

Russell Martin moved into the cleanup spot, which is usually where Encarnacion bats. He was followed by Kevin Pillar, Michael Saunders, Dalton Pompey, Ryan Goins (who started for Travis) and Jonathan Diaz.