MLB Player News
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Miguel Cabrera DH | DET
Tigers' Miguel Cabrera: Heads to bench Sunday
Cabrera is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox.
Cabrera will head to the bench for the day game after he went 4-for-5 with a double, three RBI and a run in Saturday's 10-0 win. With Riley Greene (elbow) landing on the injured list Saturday, the Tigers are likely to deploy Kerry Carpenter in right field more frequently and open up more starts at designated hitter for Cabrera down the stretch for the final stanza of the 40-year-old's prolific career.
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Christopher Morel 1B | MIA
Cubs' Christopher Morel: Back on bench Sunday
Morel is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds.
Morel had served as Chicago's designated hitter for each of the past three games, but he went just 1-for-7 at the dish in those games to bring his slash line to .148/.225/.309 since the beginning of August. With Morel unable to take advantage of his brief return to the everyday lineup, he appears set to move back into a utility role for the final month of the season.
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Miguel Cabrera DH | DET
Tigers' Miguel Cabrera: Four hits in blowout
Cabrera went 4-for-5 with a double, three RBI and one run scored in Saturday's 10-0 win over the White Sox.
The 40-year-old Cabrera got the scoring started on his first-inning, run-scoring double and added RBI base hits in the fourth and sixth before miraculously legging out an infield single in the eighth. The first four-hit effort of Cabrera's final season brings his slash line to .257/.322/.349 with three home runs, 27 RBI and 17 runs across 81 games.
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Charlie Blackmon RF | COL
Rockies' Charlie Blackmon: Gets on base four times
Blackmon went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, a stolen base and three RBI in Saturday's 8-7 win over the Blue Jays.
Blackmon hit safely in 13 of 14 games after returning from a hand injury, but he'd gone 0-for-6 with two walks over his last two contests. The 37-year-old outfielder was able to make an impact out of the leadoff spot Saturday, and he continues to be one of the Rockies' top hitters. For the season, he's at a .292/.383/.458 slash line with seven home runs, 35 RBI, 47 runs scored and one steal through 73 contests.
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Byron Buxton CF | MIN
Twins' Byron Buxton: Knee issue not major setback
Buxton has been diagnosed with a flareup of patella tendinitis in his right knee after leaving Friday's rehab game for Triple-A St. Paul, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. "He didn't hurt himself. It's just a matter of, the more he's on his feet, the more his knee is feeling it right now," Baldelli said of Buxton. "He's had this before. We'll continue to treat it day-to-day, like we have all along."
Buxton played the first game of a rehab assignment Wednesday in center field, took Thursday off and then left Friday's game after two at-bats while serving as a designated hitter. It's not clear when he may play another rehab game, but the Twins apparently don't believe that he's dealing with a serious setback.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Giants' Joc Pederson: Sitting versus lefty
Pederson is out of the lineup Saturday against the Padres, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
The Padres will send southpaw Blake Snell to the mound to begin the game, meaning the lefty-hitting Pederson will stay put in the dugout. Wade Meckler, Austin Slater and Mitch Haniger will man the Giants' outfield while Pederson sits.
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Jorge Soler DH | LAA
Marlins' Jorge Soler: Out again Saturday
Soler (hip) isn't in the Marlins' lineup Saturday against Washington, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
Soler has now missed four starts due to right hip tightness, and a trip to the injured list could be a possibility if his condition doesn't improve soon. His absence Saturday will move Josh Bell into the DH spot and Luis Arraez to first base while Xavier Edwards starts at second.
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J.D. Martinez DH | NYM
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Expected back Friday
Martinez (groin) will begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday and is expected to return to the major-league Dodgers on Sept. 8 against Washington, MLB.com reports.
Martinez has been on the injured list since Aug. 22 but appears to be making progress toward a return. The veteran slugger is slated to play in a simulated game Saturday ahead of kicking off a rehab stint Sunday. If all goes well, Martinez will return to the big club for the first game of next weekend's three-game set in Washington, and he will likely resume duties as Los Angeles' regular DH.
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Giancarlo Stanton DH | NYY
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton: Belts 21st long ball
Stanton went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, an additional run and a walk against the Astros in Friday's 6-2 victory.
Stanton hit one of four Yankees homers against Justin Verlander, smashing a 433-foot two-run shot in the third inning. The long ball was his second in three contests and his 21st of the year over 84 games. Stanton's 14.7 AB/HR on the campaign is in line with his career mark, but his .728 OPS and all three marks in his .205/.283/.445 slash line will be his lowest as a major leaguer if he isn't able to pick up the pace over the closing weeks of the campaign.
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Nick Martini DH | COL
Reds' Nick Martini: Homers in nightcap
Martini started in left field and went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a 3-2 win over the Cubs in the second game of Friday's doubleheader. He went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter in the matinee.
Martini, who had an early impact after the Reds selected his contract in August, has slipped since, going 3-for-16 over the last six games. Jake Fraley's return from the injured list should limit Martini's plate appearances over the final month of the season.