MLB Player News

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter had one hit in three at-bats on Friday, but the hit was good for a two-run home run. Carpenter's homer gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead in the third inning, but it wouldn't hold, as the Pirates would come back to win 5-2.

The home run was Carpenter's ninth of the season, but he had gone 41 games in between longballs. 

Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen went 1 for 4 in the 5-2 win over the Cardinals on Friday, pushing his hitting streak up to 17 games. 

The All-Star and former MVP has hit safely in every game since June 21. 

Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler was the only starting position player to get a hit in Friday's shutout loss to the White Sox. 

The Cubs managed just three hits in the game: Soler's single,one by the pitcher, and one by a pinch hitter.

Soler has four hits in his last three games. 

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter will bat leadoff against the Pirates on Friday despite his recente struggles at the plate.

Carpenter is hitting just .164 in his last 18 games.

Pirates slugger Andrew McCutchen has not slugged in his career against Lance Lynn, who starts against his team Friday night for St. Louis.

McCutchen owns a .132 lifetime average (5-for-38) against Lynn with no home runs and just one RBI.

Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes ahs been a force offensively since the start of July, and he continued that during Thursday's win over the Twins.

Cespedes went 2 for 4 with a double and a RBI in the victory.

Since July 1, Cespedes is hitting .293 with 12 hits, four doubles, two home runs and five RBI.

Twins center fielder Byron Buxton, who is recovering from a thumb injury, has been running, throwing and squeezing a training ball with his left hand as he continues his rehab, per Twincities.com.

Buxton has been on the 15-day disabled list since June 26.

Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter got the scoring started in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Pirates. Carpenter laced a two-run single into right field, giving St. Louis the early 2-0 advantage. 

Overall, Carpenter went 2 for 4 with two RBI and a run scored. Carpenter needed a game like this, as he has been struggling at the dish recently. In 10 games (nine starts) this month, Carpenter is batting .200 with four RBI and four runs scored. 

Pirates All-Star center fielder Andrew McCutchen waited until his final at-bat of the game on Thursday to extend his hitting streak. McCutchen led off the ninth with a solo home run, his 11th of the season, but it wasn't enough to avoid the 4-1 loss to the Cardinals.

"It felt good," McCutchen said, per MLB.com. "I'll take it into tomorrow."

With the homer, McCutchen has now hit safely in 16 straight games. He's batting .370 with two home runs and 12 RBI during the 16-game stretch. 

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera has started his rehab process as he works his way back from a medial calf strain, per MLB.com.

Cabrera has started physical therapy, been given a platelet-rich plasma injection and taken hyperbaric chamber treatments for the strain. In good news, Cabrera's Achilles tendon was not involved in the injury.

"We're hoping that he will be able to return in the six-week time frame. That's our hope," team trainer Kevin Rand said. "It's going to take [whatever] time it takes."

Cabrera is expected to miss six to eight weeks with the injury.