MLB Player News

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is frustrated with the team's slow start to the season. The Marlins have won three of 11 games to start the season. 

"We're not giving ourselves a chance, it feels like," Stanton said, per the Miami Herald.  "We've got a positive vibe, but it is just not there. The fire is not there, it seems like. You always want to leave it. But you're out there, and it's game time, it's just nothing there -- it seems like."

"The game is nine innings," Stanton continued. "It's not two, three. ... We're not playing nine. There is no campfire to sit around and reminisce on things. We've got to play every night. We've got to go. The work is there. The process, we need to pick up. ... We've got to get it done. There is no, 'Hey, this is going to make us click now. This is going to do it for us now.' We've got to go. There is no time for that."

Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz and left fielderBen Revere were not in the team's starting lineup for Saturday's game at Washington. 

Cameron Rupp got the start at catcher, batting eighth. Darin Ruf got the call in left, batting sixth. 

Indians left fielder Michael Brantley (back) returned to the lineup on Friday after missing four games with a bad back, going 2 for 5 as the designated hitter.

Brantley had been out since April 10 with a back injury.

For the second-consecutive game, Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton connected on an opposite-field home run during Friday's loss to the Mets.

It was his second home run of the season and it was his only hit for the game and the only run the Marlins scored Friday. Stanton finished 1 for 4 with two strike outs.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper hit a three-run home run in the first inning of Friday night's 7-2 victory over the Phillies. 

With Yunel Escobar and Ian Desmond on base, Harper crushed a 1-2 pitch off of Sean O'Sullivan to center field. It was Harper's third home run of the season. 

Harper is now hitting .250/.375/.500 for the season. He finished Friday's game 1 for 2 and drew two walks. 

The combination of a personally difficult matchup and a season-long slump has motivated Giants manager Bruce Bochy to drop first baseman Brandon Belt to sixth in the lineup Friday night for the first time this season.

Belt is 2 for 16 lifetime against Arizona starter Josh Collmenter. He is also 2 for 23 on the year with a slash line of .067/.160/.087.

Rockies manager Walt Weiss gave outfielder Carlos Gonzalez and first baseman Justin Morneau the night off Friday against Dodgers right-hander Clayton Kershaw in Los Angeles. Morneau is 0-for-3 lifetime against Kershaw, while Gonzalez has five hits in 30 at-bats against the Dodgers southpaw.

With Gonzalez on the bench, Weiss chose to go with Charlie Blackmon in right field, Corey Dickerson in left field and Drew Stubbs in center field. Wilin Rosario started at first and batted cleanup in place of Morneau.

Indians left fielder Michael Brantley returned to the starting lineup Friday against the Twins after missing four starts due to a back injury. However, Brantley returned as the DH on Friday, with David Murphy getting the start in left field.

Mike Pelfrey is on the hill Friday for Minnesota. Brantley is batting just .100 (1 for 10) with one walk in his career against the right-hander.

The Indians are favored (-135) in Friday's game, per VegasInsider.com.

Left fielder Yoenis Cespedes has been all the Tigers could have envisioned early this season after trading for him in December. All they were waiting for was a home run.

He took care of that business Friday and it proved critical. His blast off White Sox standout Jeff Samardzija in the fourh inning tied the game and allowed Detroit to win it in the ninth.

Cespedes, who served as a designated hitter for the first time, now boasts a slash line of .302/.318/.512 and has hit safely in eight of 10 games.

Struggling Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna has been benched for the Friday night game against the Mets.

Ozuna hasn't had a multi-hit game since the season opener and is 4-for-28 since. He has just one extra-base hit on the year.