MLB Player News

Astros outfielder J.D. Martinez had his best game of the season Tuesday at Seattle. Martinez homered and drove in three runs in a 16-9 win. 

He also scored twice. Martinez is batting .263 (5 for 19) with one home run, three RBI and six strikeouts in seven games.

Atheltics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes produced his first multi-hit game of the season Tuesday at L.A. Angels. Cespedes singled twice, walked twice and scored two runs.

Cespedes is still without a double or triple, but he has two home runs and five RBI in eight games. He's batting .179 (5 for 28) with 10 strikeouts.

After being pulled from the contest Monday due to what he called a "mental mistake," Astros outfielder J.D. Martinez was back in the lineup Tuesday against the Mariners.

"Like I said yesterday to you guys, I understood the situation and we talked about it and put it behind us," Martinez said. "We still have a lot more games left to play and it’s behind us and we’re ready to move forward. Today’s a new day."

Martinez has gone 3 for 13 (.231) through six games.

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton continues to work on his plate discipline and has started to show some patience after starting the season hitting .174 through his first seven games.

Stanton told the Palm Beach Post that he saw two pitches that he wanted to hit among the 21 thrown to him Monday against the Braves. He instead drew three walks.

"We got to keep talking to him about it, trying to get him to relax and be patience," manager Mike Redmond said. "That's half the battle. Everybody wants to get hits and get off to a quick start, but at the same time you got to relax and slow the game down, let the game come to you."

Stanton has mustered just four hits and struck out 11 times but has seven walks. He received 46 walks in 123 games last season. Though pitchers continue to work around him, Redmond hopes that the 23-year-old can turn things around soon.

"Somebody is going to make a mistake and he's going to make him pay," Redmond said. "Once he does that that will alleviate any stress."

Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera appears to be rounding into midseason form just eight games into the year. Cabrera, coming off his impressive Triple Crown season, had four hits for the second time in the past three games Monday against Toronto to boost his average to .393.

One of his hits was an opposite-field three-run homer over the fence in right field -- his 100th career homer at Comerica Park.

"I've been on record pretty much for the last five years. To me, he's pretty much the best opposite-field home-run hitter probably in the history of the game," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "I've never seen anything like it, to be honest with you. I truly believe that. I think he's got the best opposite-field power of any player I've ever seen."

Mets first baseman Justin Turner will start Tuesday against the Phillies.

Turner will take on Cliff Lee. Ike Davis has been given a day off against the tough left-hander, and should return to the lineup for the next game. 

Miguel Cabrera hit his first homer of the season and drove in four runs, leading the Tigers past the Blue Jays 7-3 Tuesday. Cabrera's home run was a three-run shot off Brandon Morrow in the fourth inning.

Cabrera was 4 for 5 with three runs and four RBI. It was his second four-hit game since Saturday. He's batting .393 (11 for 28) with one double and 10 RBI in seven games.

Astros outfielder J.D. Martinez was taken out of Monday's game after making a mental error at the plate.

Martinez admitted after the game that he did not follow the club's game strategy, swinging at the first pitch he saw. Martinez has been playing while Fernando Martinez is on the disabled list.

Astros outfielder J.D. Martinez hit cleanup Monday night in Seattle. He hit in the four hole 32 times last year, reports MLB.com.

"I've always considered myself a heart-of-the-order-type hitter," he said. "I've always been that since the first time they put me in when I first got called up. I played one game in the six-hole and the next day I was in the three-hole or four-hole. I'm comfortable hitting here. I like it more because there's guys on base more. You're in more of an RBI spot and a pressure spot."

Martinez entered Monday's game having gone 3 for 8 in his first two starts after starting the year 0 for 3 as a reserve in Houston's first three games.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt may only have one hit thus far, but his manager still has confidence in his abilities, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Bruce Bochy said that Belt's struggles may have warranted a stern talk in season's past, but he's less concerned about the first baseman this year. Bochy credits that to Belt's experience, saying "he knows he can hit. He had a great spring. He's thrown out some good at-bats. That's the reason I don't need to talk to him and sit him down."

Bochy has been willing to pull Belt out of the lineup in the past, but that doesn't seem to be the case this season. While he's struggled to get things started, Belt should have enough time to turn things around. That's not a luxury he had in the past.