MLB Player News

Harper is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Pirates, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

Harper, who returned from a long-term knee injury earlier in the week, is apparently feeling a little sore after playing in back-to-back games, so he'll get the day off as the Nationals play it safe with him ahead of the playoffs. According to manager Dusty Baker, Harper's soreness is nothing to worry about and he expects the outfielder to play in the final three games of the regular season over the weekend, Dan Kolko of MASN Sports reports. Meanwhile, Victor Robles will start in right field and bat second in his place Thursday.

Miller is not in the lineup against the Yankees on Thursday, Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times reports.

Miller heads back to the bench for the third time in the past six games while Daniel Robertson picks up a start at the keystone. Since the beginning of September, Miller is batting .214/.297/.321 with five RBI.

Martinez went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Giants.

The home run was Martinez's 45th of the season and 16th of September, tying the National League record established in 1949 by Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner. During the month-long heater, Martinez is slashing .418/.455/1.022 with 36 RBI and 26 runs, likely swinging the tide in many fantasy matchups down the stretch.

Brantley (ankle) was out running sprints prior to Cleveland's game against the Twins on Thursday, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com reports.

The club is still planning on inserting Brantley into one of this weekend's games, but that could be a tad optimistic since he has only tested the ankle a few times in recent days, following a shutdown from all running activities Sept. 20. The fact that he was able to make cuts during his running session is obviously a good sign, but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to take the field this weekend, for the first time since early August.

Buxton is not in the lineup Thursday against Cleveland, MLBpressbox.com reports.

Buxton will retreat to the bench for the first time since early September now that Minnesota has officially clinched a playoff spot, while Zack Granite picks up a start in center. Over the course of the month, Buxton is hitting .280/.343/.484 with three home runs and 13 RBI.

The Indians are aiming to get Brantley (ankle) into a game this weekend, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

This is a bit surprising, as Brantley just resumed light jogging Wednesday following a prolonged shutdown period. Regardless, the team seems to think Brantley can progress enough in the coming days to get back onto the field and make his case for a spot on the ALDS roster. Brantley has battled ankle issues throughout the season after missing nearly all of last year due to shoulder troubles.

Cabrera (back) is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Royals.

Having been eliminated from playoff contention, the Tigers have no need to take any chances with Cabrera, who's dealing with two herniated discs in his back. They've yet to indicate whether or not they plan on having Cabrera return before the season comes to an end, so consider him day-to-day until further notice. Efren Navarro will start at first base and hit sixth Wednesday.

Brantley (ankle) participated in jogging exercises Wednesday, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com reports.

A week ago, Brantley was shut down from running. The expectation was that he'd be able to resume activity in 7-to-10 days, so his participation in jogging exercises Wednesday is in line with what his level of activity should be given his status. With a return during the regular season out of the question, Brantley's focus is on being able to return at some point during the postseason, so long as the Indians manage to advance far enough.

McCutchen went 4-for-4 with two home runs, eight RBI and four runs in Tuesday's 10-1 win over the Orioles.

The RBI total was a career high for McCutchen, who plated half his runs on his first career grand slam, which came in the second inning. He homered again in the sixth inning and added a double and single for good measure, which translated to the most memorable performance of what's been a nice bounce-back season for the former MVP. A popular name in trade discussions last offseason, McCutchen will likely appear in the rumor mill again this winter if the Pirates decide to pursue a rebuild. Given the stellar .278/.362/.487 batting line he's submitted this season, the 30-year-old would surely fetch a more significant haul in any trade than he would have at this point a year ago.

Martinez went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and six RBI in Tuesday's 11-4 win over the Giants.

He did all his damage in the first two innings off lefty Matt Moore, ripping a two-run double in the first before launching a grand slam in the second for his 44th homer of the season, and 28th in 58 games since coming over from the Tigers. Should the D-backs make any noise in the postseason, particularly against the Dodgers' southpaw-heavy rotation, their trade deadline acquisition of Martinez will end up being the smartest transaction of the year.