MLB Player News

Outfielder Andrew McCutchen earned a day off Monday, as he is not in the Pirates' lineup as they prepare to take on the Brewers.

This will mark only the third time this season McCutchen has not started, as the Pirates will rest their streaking outfielder after a 10-game road swing to the West Coast and Atlanta. 

McCutchen is hitting .375 with two doubles and seven RBIs in June - a big reason why the Pirates have won six of their last seven to get back in the race in the NL Central. For the year, McCutchen is hitting 287 with eight home runs and 37 RBIs. 

A Monday matchup in Toronto has allowed Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton to take a break from playing the field. He will be used as the designated hitter.

Stanton had his five-game hitting streak in which he slugged three home runs snapped Sunday. He has blasted off five times in the last eight games.

When you've been plunked by a Clayton Kershaw fastball, you've been seriously plunked. But Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter doesn't believe the Dodgers left-hander hit him on purpose Saturday.

That theory was considered by some because Carpenter has played a role in beating Kershaw in a couple playoff games, but he dismissed it.

"I was thinking about that yesterday," he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "But I don't think he's the kind of guy who would hit me on purpose. He'd already come inside once during the at-bat. Then he threw a slider and curveball away. ... So, no. It was just one of those deals."

Carpenter, who was back in the lineup Sunday, said that the swelling on his right triceps had been reduced considerably. He added that he was still stiff, but felt "way better."

Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner came to play Sunday night.

Turner went 2 for 4 with two RBI in his team's 4-2 loss to the Cardinals. Turner doubled in the first inning, bringing Yasiel Puig around to score. He singled to center in the third inning and brought in Zack Greinke for his second RBI of the night.

Turner is hitting .307 with five home runs and 23 RBI this season in 127 at-bats.

The Twins recalled first baseman Kennys Vargas from Triple-A Rochester following Sunday's game, MLB.com reports.

Vargas struggled to a .248/.295/.362 line with three homers and 10 RBI earlier this season before being sent down to Rochester to try and awaken his bat. He has responded nicely, hitting .327/.414/.551 with three home runs and eight RBI in 49 at-bats.

Vargas is taking the roster spot of shortstop Danny Santana, who was sent down to Rochester in a corresponding move.

Athletics left fielder Mark Canha went 3 for 4 in his team's 7-4 loss to the Red Sox on Sunday.

Canha doubled twice and scored two runs in the game.

For the season, Canha is hitting .245 with seven home runs and 24 RBI in 147 at-bats.

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez drove in three runs to help lead the Tigers to a 6-4 win over the White Sox on Sunday.

"The last couple of days," manager Brad Ausmus said of Martinez, per MLB.com. "He looked like he was taking the thought process out of it and just seeing it and hitting it."

Martinez drove in two of the three runs when he connected off Jeff Samardzija in the sixth inning for a two-run home run. He finished the game 2 for 4 and is now batting .258 on the season.

"Unfortunately we have an off day [Monday]," Martinez said, per the Detroit Free Press. "I kind of wish we were playing."

Over his last 10 games, Martinez is 11 for 40 with one home run and three RBI.

Tigers designated hitter Yoenis Cespedes went 3 for 4 at the plate to help lead the Tigers to a 6-4 victory over the White Sox on Sunday.

Cespedes hit his eighth home run of the season when he connected off Jeff Samardzija for a solo shot in the sixth inning. He also drove in another run when he singled in the eighth inning, which drove in Ian Kinsler.

Before his three-hit game Sunday, Cespedes had been hitting .265 with one home run and one RBI in his last nine games.

A nagging back continues to plague Indians left fielder Michael Brantley, who was absent from the Sunday lineup for the second time in five games. He hasn't played in left field since Tuesday.

Brantley has a six-game hitting streak, but just one hit in each of those games.

A triceps issue that knocked Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter out of the game Saturday has not kept him sidelined Sunday. He is in the lineup against the host Dodgers.

Carpenter has remained productive all season. He has not gone more than two straight games without a hit, resulting in a fine slash line of .309/.395/.533.