MLB Player News

Cespedes is expected to start baseball activities within the next few days, and manager Terry Collins set his timeline for return at roughly two weeks, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Cespedes's hamstring did well in tests, so he'll start working his way up to a rehab assignment. The Mets have three off days over the next two weeks, so he could potentially miss as few as 11 more games if he manages to make his return by May 23 against the Padres as Collins is expecting.

Brantley (ankle) is not in the lineup Monday against the Blue Jays.

This comes as no surprise, as Brantley exited Sunday's contest against the Royals with a sprained ankle and is expected to miss at least a day or two. While the sprain isn't thought to be anything overly serious, the Indians will tread cautiously with the 30-year-old after he only played in 11 games last season due to injuries. With an off day coming up Thursday, it wouldn't be too surprising to see the Indians hold him out until then to afford him some extra rest. The recently recalled Yandy Diaz will draw the start in left field for the game.

Harper (groin) will start in right field and bat third in the order Monday against the Orioles, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports.

Harper missed all three games of the Nationals' series with the Phillies over the weekend due to the groin issue, but as expected, a stay on the disabled list was never in the cards for the outfielder. Chris Heisey, who had started two of the last three games in place of Harper, will return to his customary bench role.

Indians manager Terry Francona said Brantley's injury is not considered overly serious and shouldn't cost him more than "a day or two," Robert Falkoff of MLB.com reports.

A collective "Phew!" could be heard across the fantasy world thanks to the skipper's post-game comments. "It's not the dreaded high-ankle sprain," Francona said. "He hit first [base] hard. Hopefully, it's a day or two." Brantley, who played just 11 games last season before injuries shelved him for good, is off to a strong start to 2017. He's hitting .283/.343/.475 with five home runs, 17 RBI and 15 runs through his first 26 games. Owners in weekly formats may want to think about sitting Brantley before rosters lock Monday. Even though Francona mentioned a short timeline, it's not out of the realm of possibility that Brantley gets a few extra days to rest, as the club was already -- even before Sunday's injury -- being very cautious with the 30-year-old.

Carpenter went 1-for-5 with a solo home run and a walk in Sunday's 6-4 extra-inning win over the Braves.

Carpenter opened the scoring on the afternoon with a 406-foot shot to right in the first, giving him a homer in three straight games and his fourth over the last six. The veteran infielder has already boosted his average 21 points in six May games and knocked in six runs over that span as well, as he spearheads a Cardinals offense that appears to finally be awakening from a season-long slumber.

Miller was hitless in four at-bats in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays and is now 2-for-32 over the last 11 games.

The only two hits for Miller during that span came in an April 30 contest against the Blue Jays, and his average is down to .190 following Sunday's game. The veteran infielder's struggles are somewhat mystifying, as his hard contact rate is up to a career-high 38.2 percent, including 36.8 percent during his current slump. His one saving grace has been a .362 OBP that's largely a byproduct of a career-high 20.5 percent walk rate. While his patience at the plate has been a positive, his lack of production, particularly in the power department, has to be of increasing concern.

Vargas went 1-for-3 with his third home run of the season in Sunday's loss to Boston.

He's been splitting time at designated hitter with Robbie Grossman, but Vargas got a start Sunday at first base. Vargas has been hot since he was called up from Triple-A Rochester (.294/.324/.588). Expect the Twins to continue to find ways to keep him in the lineup.

Stanton finished 2-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI during Sunday's 7-0 win over the Mets.

Stanton gave his club a lead it would never relinquish early on, belting a three-run homer to left field in the first inning and adding a solo shot in the third. The slugger had gone 11 games without a homer prior to Saturday, but he now has three in his last nine at-bats and could be on the verge of another power binge after a productive weekend series.

Manager Dusty Baker expects Harper (groin) to be back in the lineup Monday at Baltimore, Jamal Collier of MLB.com reports.

With that, owners of one of the most prolific fantasy producers in all of baseball can breathe a collective sigh of relief. Harper sat out three contests with the groin issue after being removed from Thursday's game against the Diamondbacks, but clearly it's nothing serious. That said, the Nationals will be playing in an American League ballpark Monday and Tuesday, so there's always a chance Harper could slot in as the designated hitter.

Brantley exited Sunday's game against the Royals early with a sprained right ankle, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com reports.

Brantley was hitless in his two at-bats before being forced to exit the game in the fifth inning. The veteran outfielder has an injury-plagued past but is off to a healthy, productive start to the 2017 season. It'd be a big blow to the Indians if Brantley ends up on the disabled list, though the severity of the sprain is not yet known. We'll await further details from the Indians on that front.