MLB Player News

A sore throwing shoulder prevented Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes from playing in the field during Wednesday's game at Baltimore, reports NJ.com. Cespedes will be the designated hitter for the contest.

Athletics first baseman Mark Canha went 4 for 5 at the plate to help send the Athletics to a 5-4 win over the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Canha also drove in two runs and scored three during the contest. Prior to Tuesday's win, Canha was hitting .300 with one home run and five RBI in his last 12 games.

For the first time since being sidelined with a hand injury, Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton was able to face live pitching Monday, reports MLB.com.

"He's in a hitting progression," manager Dan Jennings said. "He'll start to hit off the machine and live batting practice. Then he'll progress into probably a simulation game and one or two rehab games. Time for that is to be determined."

Stanton has been out since late June with a fracture of the hamate bone in his left hand. Jennings said he needs to build up strength in his hand before he can return.

"When he feels the strength is there, he'll step on the accelerator," Jennings added. "When he's healthy, he'll be back. I know he wants to finish on a positive note. I hope that can be sooner rather than later."

Indians left fielder Michael Brantley is back in action Monday against the host Red Sox after missing the Minnesota series with a sore shoulder.

Brantley was on a tear before being sidelined. He was batting .454 (15-for-33) in his previous eight games with seven runs and seven RBI.

The desire of Terry Francona to use top hitters Michael Brantley and Jason Kipnis as designated hitters upon their return to the Indians has created a dilemma.

Brantley and Kipnis, both of whom have been sidelined with shoulder issues, should be ready to roll Monday in Boston. But only one, of course, can DH. That could result in Kipnis being pushed back to Tuesday, per MLB.com.

The former received a cortisone shot Friday and joined the club in Minneapolis on Saturday. Kipnis is eligible to come off the disabled list Monday.

"I don't even know if we'd activate [Kipnis] or not [Monday]," Francona said. "It's going to be close. He certainly can be activated, but he's not ready to play second. ... I think Kip's kind of chomping at the bit, which I don't blame him."

Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper returned to the lineup for Sunday's game.

Harper was forced to leave Saturday's game after fouling a pitch off his foot, but he returned to the lineup Sunday, batting third. 

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley was held out of Sunday's lineup at Minnesota, reports MLB.com.

Brantley is dealing with a shoulder aliment, which also kept him out of Saturday's contest. He was replaced in left field by Mike Aviles, who will bat ninth.

Nationals slugger Bryce Harper was removed from the game Saturday in San Francisco after fouling a pitch off his left foot in the seventh inning.

He finished the at-bat by flying out, but Jayson Werth moved to right field in the bottom of the inning.

Harper later reported that x-rays on the foot were negative, per MASN. It remains to be seen if it feels healthy enough for him to play Sunday.

As expected, Indians outfielder Michael Brantley is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Twins. Brantley is dealing with a shoulder injury that is expected to keep him out for at least a couple of days.

Mike Aviles will handle left field duties for the Indians on Saturday.

Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper had one hit on Friday night, but it was good for a three-run home run in the fifth inning. It wasn't enough however, as the Giants would hang on to defeat the Nats 8-5.

Harper's home run came off Matt Cain, but the Giants already owned a 6-1 lead at the time. The longball was Harper's 30th of the year, as he became the youngest player in Expos/Nationals franchise history to hit 30 homers in a season. 

"I'm playing for 40 [home runs]," Harper said, per MLB.com. "If you are not worried about 30, you are not worried about 40. I want to hit 40 or 50. I want to keep going. I want to keep battling.

"If I'm doing that, hopefully, we are winning ballgames. That's all that matters. Personal stats, of course, are fun. But it's all about winning ballgames and what you can do for your team."