MLB Player News

Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner was forced to leave Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks with left finger stiffness, the team announced.

Turner had his hand slid into when A.J. Pollock tried to reach third. X-rays came back negative and the team is listing him as day to day with the injury.

"I thought it was broken," Turner said to the Orange County Register. "My knuckle was swollen up about an inch right away."

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera went 4 for 5 with four singles and one RBI in Saturday's 9-6 win over the Indians. 

Cabrera, who also scored a run, singled in his two first at-bats, but was unable to score. He then singled in the seventh inning to bring home Adrew Romine and give Detroit the lead. He is now hitting .429 on the season.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt said Saturday that he felt pretty good after taking part in baseball activities at 70 percent effort and that he doesn't feel his hamstring injury while swinging, CSN Bay Area reports.

If Belt wakes up Sunday without having suffered a setback, he could be back in the lineup for his team's game against the Padres. Manager Bruce Bochy said Friday that while a Sunday return was possible, Monday was more likely for the first baseman.

Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen was held out of the starting lineup Saturday night against Milwaukee.

McCutchen was removed from Friday's contest late in the ninth inning after attempting to play through left knee soreness, an issue he has been experiencing since spring training. He said he felt something in his knee during his final at-bat, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. McCutchen did not undergo an MRI, but said that his knee is "structurally fine" and will not need a stint on the disabled list, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

McCutchen is hitting .125 (2 for 16) with a home run and two RBI through four games. He will be available to pinch-hit in case of an emergency.

"It is frustrating," McCutchen said of the recurrence. "I've always been the type of player who comes in in tip-top shape, 100 percent ready to go. And it's been a little different for me this year, battling a few things. (In Spring Training) it was more than just the knee, the lower body in general. Now (the knee) seems a little more acute."

The Pirates are underdogs (+105) in Milwaukee, per VegasInsider.com.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley was not included in the starting lineup for Saturday's contest against Detroit, per FOX Sports Ohio.

Brantley returned from a two-game absence due to lower back stiffness on Friday, but revealed that he's still experiencing some discomfort. Manager Terry Francona also added on Friday that he would give Brantley some occasional days of rest moving forward. On Saturday Francona revealed that both sides have discussed about a possible stint on the disabled list, but "no one thinks it's needed," per the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

"He wants to play so bad," Francona said. "I just think we need to let this thing settle down, whether that's today, today and tomorrow, we'll see."

With Brantley sidelined, the Indians will have Ryan Raburn at DH, Mike Aviles in left field, and Jerry Sands in right field.

Athletics left fielder Mark Canha continued to swing a hot bat on Friday, launching his first home run of the season and leading his club to a 12-0 win over Seattle. Canha took Taijuan Walker deep for a two-run home run in the second inning to break the game open. He finished 3 for 5 with three runs scored and two RBI.

Canha is hitting .500 (7 for 14) with six RBI to start the season.

"I don't even talk to him right now," manager Bob Melvin said after Friday's game, per Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. "Whatever he's doing, let's just let him do it."

Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen was removed from Friday's game against Milwaukee in the bottom of the ninth inning with left knee soreness, manager Clint Hurdle said, per MLB.com.

McCutchen appeared to have suffered the injury after he hit a grounder to third in the third inning, Hurdle revealed.

"He took himself out after he ran down the line on that grounder, and felt a little something," Hurdle said.

McCutchen finished 0 for 4 with a walk and a run scored. He was replaced by Andrew Lambo in the bottom half of the ninth. McCutchen's status remains up in the air for Saturday's contest.

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton accounted for three RBI in Friday night's 10-9 extra-inning win over the Rays. 

Stanton went 2 for 3 in the game and drew a walk. Stanton was also hit by a pitch in the third inning. 

Stanton hit a two-run double in the fourth inning and later hit an RBI single in the eighth, which put the Marlins up 9-8 at the moment. These were Stanton's first three RBI of the 2015 season.

“Maybe just didn’t get it high enough,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said of the pitch Stanton hit for the RBI single. “Looking on the (videoboard) it certainly looked like a good pitch to me. Sometimes you have to give the other guy credit.”

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt will miss his third straight game on Friday. 

Belt has been sidelined with a sore groin and was initially listed as questionable for Friday against the Padres. 

Manager Bruce Bochy said that Belt may return to the lineup on Sunday, but Monday is more likely, per MLB.com.

Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon is going with six right-handed hitters against the Athletics Friday night, according to MLB.com. 

With Athletics southpaw Drew Pomeranz on the mound, McClendon is giving Dustin Ackley and shortstop Brad Miller some rest. Both are left-handed hitters and McClendon has opted for outfielder Justin Ruggiano and shortstop Willie Bloomquist instead. 

Ruggiano is hitting sixth and Bloomquist ninth. The only left-handed hitters in the lineup are Robinson Cano, Kyle Seager and Logan Morrison.