MLB Player News

Newly acquired outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is in the lineup for the Red Sox for the first time Saturday, batting fourth and playing left field.

Cespedes was acquired from the Athletics in a trade deadline deal that sent Jon Lester to Oakland. He was hitting .256/.303/.464 in 399 at-bats with the A's prior to the trade.  

Indians outfielder and hitting machine Michael Brantley is apparently over his only slump of the season. He ripped three hits Friday night, including a first-inning double that set the lopsided win over Texas in motion.

Brantley, who is on pace to become the first Indian to pile up 200 hits in a season since Kenny Lofton achieved that distinction in 1996, has 10 hits in his last 26 at-bats.

The Twins have wasted no time throwing first base prospect Kennys Vargas into the fire. He is in the lineup Friday night against White Sox stud left-hander Chris Sale a day after his promotion.

Vargas skipped the Triple-A level in getting called up. He compiled a .281/.360/.472 stat line for Double-A New Britain this season with 17 home runs.

The slump experienced by Tigers surprising outfielder J.D. Martinez is apparently over. He homered, singled, walked and scored twice Thursday in a defeat to the White Sox.

Martinez has rebounded from a 4-for-30 slide to slam five hits and score four runs in the last three games. He still boasts an impressive .325/.363/.605 this season.

The Twins have called up first base prospect Kennys Vargas Thursday to replace Sam Fuld on the active roster, as first reported by FOXSports.com.

Vargas, a 23-year-old, has 17 home runs at Double-A New Britain this season, after hitting 19 at Class A a year ago. He is hitting .281/.360/.472 in 356 at-bats overall. 

The Athletics have acquired the premiere starting pitcher on the trade market ahead of Thursday's deadline, as CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman has confirmed a trade involving Jon Lester moving to Oakland in exchange for Yoenis Cespedes.

WEEI.com reported the details of the deal first, which will likely also involves the Red Sox sending outfielder Jonny Gomes to the Athletics as well. The Red Sox will also receive a competitive balance draft pick, while the A's will receive cash from the Red Sox, according to Yahoo.com.

Chris Taylor could be wresting at-bats away from disappointing Brad Miller at shortstop for the Mariners. The former is in the lineup Tuesday against the host Indians. Taylor is starting for the second time in the last three games.

Taylor is 3 for 8 since his promotion. Miller has four hits in his last 25 at-bats and his batting average has sunk to .203. He is also tied for the American League lead in errors at that position with 14.

Blue Jays second baseman Ryan Goins enjoyed a productive night at the plate Monday night against the Red Sox.

Goins singled in the second, singled in two runs in the fourth, doubled in one more in the sixth and reached on an infield single in the eighth. He finished 4 for 5 with a run scored and four RBI in a comfortable 14-1 victory in Boston. He owns a .212/.247/.306 slash line with one home run and eight RBI in 85 at-bats.

The Royals have assigned newly acquired pitcher Liam Hendricks to Triple-A Omaha, FOX Sports Kansas City reports. Erik Kratz, who was also acquired in the Danny Valencia trade, will join the big-league team Tuesday. The Royals have also recalled shortstop Christian Colon and designated catcher Brett Hayes for assignment.

Brilliant numbers are not necessarily typical numbers for Tigers stud first baseman Miguel Cabrera. He's batting .309 with 16 home runs, 81 RBI and .895 OPS. But he is scuffling in comparison to the stats he compiled before being slowed by abdominal issues in the second half of last season that required surgery.

Brad Ausmus recognizes that. "He's scuffling a little bit right now," he told the Detroit News. "I think he's been a little frustrated all year. Post-surgery - everything's not in sync. I think surgery is the root cause of it. It can take time. I think there are side effects from all of that."

Cabrera is hitless in his last nine at-bats and has just 16 home runs this season after slugging 44 in each of his last two years. His .531 slugging percentage is more than 100 points off what he compiled in 2013.