MLB Player News

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes got the start for the sixth consecutive game as the designated hitter Wednesday in Texas, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Cespedes is back in the DH spot upon the recommendation of A's trainers, according to manager Bob Melvin.

Cespedes' left hamstring is still not 100 percent, though Melvin doesn't believe the issue is hindering his performance. That said, Cespedes has gone 3 for 20 over five starts as the DH. It could be that he hits better when he's playing the field.

"He always wants to play in the field," Melvin said of Cespedes. "Is he getting antsy? I don’t know. … When you’re in the field, you’re always doing stuff, you have a feel for the game. When you DH, you feel like you’re pinch hitting four times."

Melvin said, hitting well or not, he's going to continue penciling Cespedes' name into the lineup. "Regardless, when he’s in the lineup, we’re a better team whether he’s swinging the bat well or not,” Melvin said.

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes will continue to be the team's designated hitter until he can run without limitations, according to MLB.com.

Cespedes has started four games at DH after his hamstring gave him some trouble last Tuesday. Cespedes will return to the outfield once he recovers. Cespedes is hitting .235/.298/.471 in 221 at-bats. 

Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera put Detroit on the board early Monday against the Orioles and the team never looked back. 

Cabrera hit his 19th home run of the season in the first inning off starter Jake Arrieta for a two-run shot. The Tigers won 5-1. 

Cabrera finished 3 for 4 in the game with two RBI and is batting .358 for the Tigers. The three-hit game was his first multi-hit contest since picking up three hits against Tampa Bay back on June 6. That said, Cabrera still leads the American League in batting and RBI. 

Astros outfielder J.D. Martinez has tailed off offensively in June following a strong finish in May. 

Martinez hit .349 (22 for 63) with three home runs, six doubles and 13 RBI over a 17-game stretch from May 13-31. Unfortunately, he hasn't been as strong of a performer in June. He's batting .216 (11 for 51) with one home run, four RBI and 17 strikeouts in 14 games this month.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley heads into Monday's game against the Royals looking to end a hitting slump that has reached multiple weeks. Brantley is batting .177 (11 for 62) in his last 18 games, dropping his season average from .316 to .280. 

Brantley hasn't homered in 24 games and has managed just three RBI through 13 June games. He also has just one extra-base hit in his last 18 games.

Perhaps the Royals are the perfect remedy for Brantley. He's batting .389 (7 for 18) with one triple, two RBI and three doubles in four games against the Royals this season. In 44 career games against Kansas City, Brantley is batting .329 (57 for 173) with an .841 OPS and 22 RBI.

Returning from a hamstring injury, Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes went 0 for 4 in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Mariners, giving him just two hits in 16 at-bats over his last five games.

Cespedes opened up June strong by going 10 for 26 with four home runs in his first six games of the month, but he's hit just .236/.302/.481 with 13 home runs and 35 RBI on the season.

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is in Friday's lineup against the Mariners, batting fourth as the designated hitter. Cespedes hasn't played since coming out of Tuesday's game with a hamstring injury.

Cespedes has hit .240/.307/.490 with 13 home runs and 35 RBI in 204 at-bats this season.

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes will be held out of Thursday's game with a hamstring injury. Cespedes did not play Wednesday.

He'll join Coco Crisp on the bench as the A's go against Yankees pitcher Hiroki Kuroda. Cespedes has hit .240/.307/.490 in 204 at-bats. 

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes (hamstring), who was unable to play Wednesday against the Yankees, took batting practice before the game, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. 

Manager Bob Melvin said the injury "doesn't seem to be too substantial." That said, the A's will not take any risks with him. He is day to day. 

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was unable to play Wednesday against the Yankees and is unlikely to play Thursday as well, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Cespedes, who was forced out of Tuesday's game with a hamstring injury, is considered day to day.