MLB Player News

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt went 2 for 4 with one RBI during Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Marlins. He also struck out twice.

Prior to his two-hit game Thursday, Belt was hitting .170 with one home run and six RBI in his last 14 games.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley drove in two runs Thursday to help lead the team to a 5-4 win over the Rays.

Brantley drove in one run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth and then hit a single in the fifth to drive in Jason Kipnis. He finished the game 1 for 4 with two strikeouts.

Prior to Thursday's win, Brantley was hitting .267 with two doubles and four RBI in his last 11 games.

Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler could return to the lineup this weekend, manager Joe Maddon told reporters Thursday. 

Soler, who is on the 15-day disabled list due to an ankle sprain, is 0 for 7 with three strikeouts through his first two rehab games with Triple-A Iowa. He will play again Thursday before he is re-evaluated.

"It depends on what he looks like," Maddon said, per ESPN.com. "I haven’t really heard anything pro or con. He’s just getting his feet on the ground again."

Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez went 3 for 4 in Wednesday's loss to the Pirates.

Martinez is hitting .372 with 16 hits, seven home runs and 14 RBI over his last 10 games.

Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson is not in the lineup for Wednesday's matchup against the Diamondbacks.

Perderson will be replaced in the leadoff spot and center field by Enrique Hernandez.

Over his last 12 games, Pederson is hitting just .220 with nine hits, three home runs and five RBI.

The Cardinals have returned third baseman Matt Carpenter and second baseman Kolten Wong to the starting lineup for Wednesday's matchup with the White Sox. Both players were rested on Tuesday against Chris Sale, but they will take their normal positions in Wednesday's lineup.

Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez hit a game-tying two-run home run in the eighth inning, sending Tuesday's game to extras. The Tigers eventually lost in 14.

Martinez hit his 20th homer of the year. He's homered in four of the last five games and has seven homers in the last seven. 

Martinez went 3 for 6 with two runs scored. 

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller went 2 for 4 at the plate during Tuesday's 5-0 win over the Padres.

His biggest hit came in the fourth inning when he hit a two-run home run off Ian Kennedy. It was his seventh home run of the season.

Prior to his two-hit game Tuesday, Miller was batting .211 with two doubles and three RBI in his last 11 games.

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter is getting the day off and is being held out of the starting lineup Tuesday against the White Sox. Carpenter had started five straight games, collecting just three hits in 21 at-bats over that span.

And, with a .222 batting average against left-handers this season, Carpenter will be shielded from one of the finest southpaws in the game, Chris Sale, who is starting on Tuesday.

Mark Reynolds is handling the hot corner while Xavier Scruggs handles first base on Tuesday.

Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon provided his team's only run during a 7-1 loss to the Athletics on Monday. Blackmon led off the eighth inning with a home run off of Evan Scribner.

Blackmon, who had his hitting streak end Sunday, has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games. He has three of his 10 home runs in the last 15 games.

He is batting .316 (18 for 57) with a .596 slugging percentage, three home runs, 13 RBI, 10 runs, eight walks, 14 strikeouts and seven stolen bases in his last 15 games.