MLB Player News

After three weeks of play, it's impossible to ignore the persistent struggles of Miguel Cabrera, With the end of April just over a week away, the Tigers' slugger has a .648 OPS that is even lower than the .729 mark he posted last September when he was dealing with a groin tear.

According to the PitchFX data on FanGraphs.com, Cabrera is seeing the highest percentage of pitches in the strike zone (51.4 percent) of his career, and he has not been taking advantage of it. Though he is swinging and missing at a rate in line with his recent norms, Cabrera has been taking strikes far more often than he does typically and even more often than the major league average.

The swing percentage data on BrooksBaseball.net shows that Cabrera was also not swinging much last September. Then again, there have been plenty of other times when Cabrera has been a more passive hitter (Aug. 2012, for example), and it hasn't always corresponded with subpar performance. It's not clear why Cabrera isn't swinging the bat or what impact that has on his current slump. However, given that this is the trend that is most out of line with what he usually does at the plate, Fantasy owners can take comfort in knowing that Cabrera has gone through stretches like this before, and he's always come out them as a more aggressive and more powerful hitter.

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez was promoted from Triple-A Toledo to the major-league roster Monday, per MLive.com. 

Martinez has been on a tear at Triple-A, batting .308 with an .846 slugging percentage and 1.212 OPS in 17 games. He has one triple, three doubles, 10 home runs and 22 RBI. Martinez was averaging a home run every 6.5 at-bats with Toledo.

Athletics manager Bob Melvin told MLB Network Radio outfielder Yoenis Cespedes will not start Monday against the Rangers after leaving Sunday's game with a heel injury.

"He has a little bone bruise, but he's been in every inning of every game," Melvin said. "He'll get a day off tonight."

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was forced to leave early Sunday afternoon against the Astros with a bruised right heel, the team announced. 

Cespedes left the game in the seventh and was replaced by Craig Gentry. He finished 0 for 2 with a walk, lowering his batting average to .254 on the year. His status remains uncertain for Monday's series opener against the Rangers.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley belted his third home run Sunday against the Blue Jays.

Brantley worked an incredible nine-pitch at-bat against Brandon Morrow in the second inning. After fouling off four straight pitches, Brantley managed to take a 94 mph fastball out to right for the solo shot. 

Brantley would double in his next at-bat, driving in another run. He would later walk, reaching base for the third time. 

He finished the game 2 for 3, with two runs scored and two RBI.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper is in the starting lineup a day after being removed for lack of hustle.

Harper is slated to play left and hit second. He was removed from Saturday's game after refusing to hustle on a ball he hit back to the pitcher. Harper is hitting .295 in 61 at-bats. 

For the third time in his last four games, Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna registered a multi-hit game, including his third home run of the season in his team's 7-0 victory over the Mariners Saturday night.

Ozuna launched a three-run home run off starter Roenis Elias in the sixth inning. He also added an RBI single in the eighth inning. He finished 2 for 4 with a run scored and a season-high four RBI. He is hitting .343 with three homers and 10 RBI through his first 67 at-bats.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was pulled from Saturday's game against the Cardinals, but it wasn't because of any lingering issues with a quad injury. Instead, he was benched by manager Matt Williams, who was displeased with Harper's effort following a sixth-inning groundout.

"The inability to run 90 feet," was Williams' response, when asked why Harper was pulled from the game.

Harper finished the game 0 for 3, and Williams told reporters Harper should be back in the lineup Sunday. 

Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper was removed from the game before the top of the seventh Saturday against St. Louis and replaced by Kevin Frandsen.

Harper has been dealing with tightness in his quad, but there has been no announcement as to why he left the game. He made an awkward running catch in the sixth before grounding out to the pitcher in the bottom of the inning.

One of the hottest hitters in baseball entering Friday play remained one of the hottest hitters in baseball as Rockies leadoff man Charlie Blackmon smacked three singes in a rout of Philadelphia. He rose his batting average to a stout .426 while scoring twice and adding an RBI.

Blackmon, who has struck out just three times in 61 at-bats this season, owns an impressive stat line of .426/.446/.590 with 11 runs and 10 RBI.