MLB Player News

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said Monday star center fielder Andrew McCutchen "has moved better the last couple of games," per MLB.com.

McCutchen has been playing through left knee soreness. However, the injury has only cost him to miss one game and he has played in eight straight games, including Monday's contest against the Cubs.

The four-time All-Star is batting .211 (8 for 38) with one double, two home runs and nine RBI in 11 games. 

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera has ridden a hot start to a .426/.491/.660 line with two home runs and 10 RBI in 47 at-bats over his first two weeks.

Many pitchers focus on getting ahead of batters with a first-pitch strike, but doing so has failed to matter against the two-time MVP. Cabrera has hit a remarkable .500/.545/.833 in 30 at-bats after going 0-1 in the count, with both his home runs coming in such a scenario. He's also been a beast with runners in scoring position, hitting .500/.529/.750 with one home run and eight RBI in 16 at-bats. The slugger will open a four-game series against the Yankees Monday.

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter went 2 for 3 at the plate in St. Louis' 2-1 win over the Reds Sunday. Carpenter provided most of the offense for the Cardinals in the game, smacking a leadoff home run in the first inning over the center field wall off of Mike Leake, his second of the season.

"I didn't know I had that in me," Carpenter said to MLB.com. "I got a good swing off, and I guess it was carrying a little bit better tonight than usual, because I don't hit balls up there often."

He later added a single to boost his average to .400 in 45 at-bats this season. He also leads the team with 10 RBI from the lead off spot in the order.

Infielder Justin Turner had a career-high four hits Sunday in the Dodgers' win over the Rockies.

Turner went 4 for 5 with his first three doubles of the season and an RBI. He's now 6 for 15 (.400 avg.) on the year.

Yoenis Cespedes hit his first career grand slam, and his two-homer day produced a career-high six RBI in the Tigers' win over the White Sox on Sunday. 

"I've faced [Quintana] a few times. That doesn't mean, just because I face him, I'm going to have a good game, but I've batted well against him," Cespedes said through Tigers media relations director and translator Aileen Villarreal.

Cespedes went 2 for 4 and raised his average to .300 for the season. He now has three home runs and 10 RBI. 

The Mariners will be without three regulars in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against Texas. 

Catcher Mike Zunino, shortstop Brad Miller and left fielder Dustin Ackley are all out of the lineup, getting rest. 

Jesus Sucre gets the start at catcher, just his second appearance of the season. He'll hit ninth in the order. 

Willie Bloomquist gets his fourth appearance of the year, starting at short and batting seventh. Justin Ruggiano will play left and bat sixth. 

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt is starting in left field in Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Belt has spent all but one inning at first base since the start of the 2013 season, with his only non-1B appearance coming last year, when he played one inning in right field in a game. The position isn't completely foreign to the infielder, as he made 30 starts in 2011 and four starts in 2012 in left field.

The alignment allows manager Bruce Bochy to start Buster Posey and first base and insert Andrew Susac at catcher. With Belt in the outfield, Gregor Blanco is not in the starting lineup.

The Giants are favorites (-135) against the Diamondbacks Sunday.

Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig, left fielder Carl Crawford, catcher Yasmani Grandal and third baseman Juan Uribe are not in the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Rockies.

Puig was able to return from a tight hamstring Saturday and go 2 for 3 with a walk, but manager Don Mattingly said that the outfielder had a noticeable limp while playing nine innings. Crawford is out of the lineup for the second straight day due to illness. Uribe and Grandal are sitting for the first time in four games.

With several starters sidelined, Justin Turner will bat second and play third base, Andre Ethier will bat fifth and start in right field, Scott Van Slyke will start in left field and bat sixth and A.J. Ellis will start behind the plate and bat eighth against Rockies right-hander Eddie Butler.

Despite the multiple absences, the Dodgers are heavy favorites (-165) Sunday.

Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar is not in the team's lineup for Sunday's game. Escobar was questionable with a sore knee.

He'll be replaced in the lineup by Christian Colon, who will bat eighth. 

Michael Brantley starts his second straight game in left field for the Indians, on Sunday. Brantley, who battled injury earlier in the month, is hitting third in the Indians' lineup. 

David Murphy gets his third straight start at three different positions. After playing left and right field the last two days, Murphy gets the start at DH, batting sixth.