MLB Player News

Phillies outfielder Darin Ruf (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment with Class A Clearwater Thursday. He has been sidelined all season.

Cubs outfield prospect Jorge Soler returned to the lineup at Double-A Tennessee Wednesday, according to MLB.com. It was his first game since injuring his hamstring April 3.

Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera seemingly found his stroke Tuesday, in an 11-4 win over the Astros.

Cabrera matched Houston's run production on his own, as he drive in four runs in the game. He went 4 for 5 with two extra-base hits, including a solo home run to open the game in the first inning. He also scored twice in the blowout win.

Cabrera is now hitting .293 with 23 RBI in 28 games after a slow start, though he does have just three home runs in 116 at-bats. 

Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon went 2 for 6 with a double, a solo home run, two runs and two RBI in his team's 12-1 win over the Rangers Tuesday.

The magical season continues for Blackmon, who is 7 for 24 with two home runs and six RBI in five May games. He has hit .358/.396/.610 with seven home runs, 24 RBI and seven stolen bases in 123 at-bats.

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton was a fixture on base Tuesday, going 2 for 2 with a double, two walks, one run and one RBI in his team's 3-0 win over the Mets.

Stanton also stole his third base of the season in the win. He's in the midst of an eight-game hitting streak in which he has multiple hits in three of his last four games. Stanton has hit .295/.381/.605 with 10 home runs and 38 RBI in 129 at-bats.

Phillies outfielder Darin Ruf has been making progress in his recovery from a strained oblique while playing in extended spring training games in Florida, MLB.com reports.

"He's getting at-bats," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "I believe he's got four or five games under his belt."

Ruf has yet to play during the regular season due to the injury.

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes rejoined the starting lineup Tuesday against the Mariners after getting a chance to rest a hamstring injury Monday. Cespedes was able to make a pinch-hit appearance Monday.

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller went 1 for 3 with a walk, an RBI and two stolen bases in his team's 4-2 win over the A's Monday.

After smacking an RBI single in the sixth inning, Miller stole both second and third base off Oakland starter Scott Kazmir. They were his first two steals of the season. Miller has hit .192/.238/.323 with three home runs and nine RBI in 99 at-bats.

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is not in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Mariners.

Cespedes has been dealing with a hamstring issue over the last two weeks, though he was said to be over the injury late last week. Coming off a two-hit game Sunday, Cespedes has hit .260/.348/.490 with four home runs and 18 RBI in 100 at-bats.

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter has at least one strikeout in five of his last six games and has totaled 32 through 32 games, which is well ahead of the pace he set last season with 98 strikeouts in 157 games.

"He has such a good eye and knows his zone (but) those borderlines are getting called right now," manager Mike Matheny said, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "You see Carp fouling off tough pitches. I see him fouling off some pitches that he would normally square up a little more. Having a high pitch count isn’t necessarily a good thing when you’re getting pitches you can drive."

Carpenter, who is averaging 4.24 pitches per at-bat, is hitting .264 with a .314 slugging percentage after batting .318 with a .481 slugging percentage last season. Carpenter said he's still not comfortable yet with his swing.

"That’s the beauty of this game and especially my skill set -- even if my swing is just OK I can be productive too, get on base, take a walk, find a way to squeak a base hit in," Carpenter said. "That’s kind of been the story of my season so far. The swing has not felt great, yet. I’m trying to find a way to work counts, get good pitches and battle. The (swing) wasn’t great. It didn’t feel great. But in terms of being competitive, that’s one thing you can do everyday."