MLB Player News

Class A Jupiter, a Marlins' affiliate' announced Tuesday that Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is ready to begin his minor-league rehab assignment. Stanton will be the designated hitter Tuesday in the first game of a doubleheader.

Stanton has been on the disabled list since April 29 due to a hamstring strain, and it is not clear how long he will be on his rehab assignment.  

Indians manager Terry Francona said after Monday's game outfielder Michael Brantley will likely slide into the third spot in the lineup to take the place of shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, who is likely headed to the disabled list with a strained right quadriceps suffered Monday against the Yankees.

"Asdrubal is one of our better players, but again this is where a guy like Michael Brantley can slot right in there," Francona said, per The Plain Dealer. "You don't like to lose any players, but you can't use that as an excuse. So we'll show up tomorrow and have a little different batting order and try to win."

Brantley is currently mired in a 4-for-25 slump in his last eight games. In nine career games batting third, Brantley is batting .303 (10 for 33) with a .515 slugging percentage.

Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera was named the player of the month for May in the American League Monday, MLB.com reports. The reigning AL MVP and Triple Crown winner hit .379 with 33 RBI over 28 games. 

Cabrera also had nine doubles, 12 home runs, 23 runs scored and 15 walks for the month. The 12 HRs were the most by a Tiger in May since Willie Hortomn in 1968. 

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Miggy is the first player to hit at least .340 with 15 home runs and 60 RBI entering June in major league history. He leads the AL in average (.367) and RBI (65) and is second to Chris Davis (20) in homers with 17. 

Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna entered the majors with a track record that suggested a powerful but inconsistent hitter. So far he’s proven to be just the opposite.

His .333 average with 15 RBI and one home run has analysts scratching their heads trying to peg Ozuna’s hitter identity. Nando Di Fino offered his theory on Monday’s Fantasy Baseball Today that Miami’s “cavernous” stadium has Ozuna’s power developing slowly. Scott White added that he initially saw Ozuna as a Dayan Viciedo, but so far he’s been more of a Michael Brantley.

Marlins manager Mike Redmond said Monday outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (hamstring) is going through base-running drills at the team's spring complex and that a rehab assignment might not be far off, according to The Palm Beach Post.

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes has been caught stealing twice in his last four games and is now just 2 for 7 on stolen-base attempts in 2013. Cespedes was 16 of 20 on stolen-base attempts last season.

"It's just kind of a tough stretch for him right now," manager Bob Melvin said Sunday, per the San Francisco Chronicle. "Just like hitting sometimes, you go through some good streaks and some bad streaks. ... He had a couple of mishaps and some injuries on the bases, and at times you'll back off a little bit because you want to stay healthy, maybe a little trepidation at times. But he has the ability, as we've seen, to run the bases very well and steal some bases, and he will more so as we get going here."

Cespedes is batting .247 (20 for 81) with one triple, three home runs, six doubles and 11 RBI in his last 20 games.

Just a day after having his 16-game hitting streak snapped, Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna bounced back with a big day at the plate Sunday against the Mets.

Ozuna fell a home run shy of the cycle as he finished 3 for 5 with two runs scored and four RBI in an 11-6 victory. He is hitting .358 (24 for 67) with 10 RBI in his last 18 games played.

Brandon Belt entered the game Sunday in the seventh inning and used his lone at-bat to secure a 4-2 win for the San Francisco Giants at St. Louis.

Belt, who came in as a pinch hitter for starting pitcher Chad Gaudin, doubled to score two runs, which ended up being the difference.

The first baseman struggled at the beginning of the season as he was ill and took a while to regain his strength. After hitting .235 in April, he was up to .266 in May and his overall average is now .250. Belt has 28 RBI and six home runs.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper says his injured knee hasn't improved yet, but he still hopes to return to baseball activities by the end of the week and return to the team by June 11, CSN Washington reports Sunday. Harper is still dealing with bursitis in his left knee dating back to May 26.

Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna entered Saturday's game against the Mets with a major-league leading 16-game hitting streak, but it ended as he went 0 for 3. 

Ozuna walked once and scored a run in his first hitless game since May 14. The Marlins won the game, 8-1. 

Ozuna raised his batting average from .300 to 330 during the course of the streak, during which he had six RBI.