MLB Player News

Yoenis Cespedes was one of four Tigers players to homer during a 7-6 loss in 11 innings to the Mariners on Tuesday. 

Cespedes tied the game at six in the eighth inning with a two-out, solo home run off Fernando Rodney. It was his 12th home run and second in as many games.

He has hit safely in six of seven games in July. He is batting .281 (9 for 32) with two home runs, three doubles, four RBI, six runs and six strikeouts in that span.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley went 3 for 4 with a solo home run and two runs scored in Tuesday's 2-0 win over the Astros. Brantley had gone 46 games since his last longball, as he hadn't homered since May 14. 

"It felt good," Brantley said, per MLB.com. "It was a big swing at the time of the game. To go up 2-0 instead of 1-0; and one swing away, now they're two swings away."

His fifth home run of the season gave the Indians their second run in the sixth inning. He's now batting .282 over his last 10 games.

"Everybody in here knows we've got to finish this homestand strong before we go into the All-Star break," Brantley said. "And then when we come back from there, we'll start from day one just like we've been playing lately. We've been playing good, competitive baseball, we've been pitching well, and we've got to continue to do that to be successful in our division."

Pirates All-Star center fielder Andrew McCutchen pushed his hitting streak to 13 games on Monday against the Padres. He went 1 for 2 with one double, two runs and two walks.

McCutchen is batting .372 (16 for 43) with two home runs, seven doubles, nine RBI, nine runs, 14 walks, nine strikeouts and two stolen bases in his last 13 games.

McCutchen's hitting streak is tied for the longest of his career, per Baseball-Reference.com. He also had a 13-game hit streak in 2009.

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter is catching a break in the first game of the Tuesday doubleheader against the host Cubs. He is out of the lineup as Mark Reynolds will man the position instead.

Carpenter has been in a slump. He is hitless in his last two games and has just seven hits in his last 48 at-bats. His .271 average is at its lowest point since the second game of the season.

Outfielder Yoenis Cespedes joined the hit parade Monday night in Seattle. He homered and singled as part of a 19-hit onslaught and lopsided win for the Tigers.

His solo blast in the sixth cut the deficit to 5-4 and began a 9-0 blitz over a two-inning period. He also scored in the seventh.

The big game pushed his hitting streak to four and gave him seven hits in his last 19 at-bats.

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez hit his 24th home run of the season during Monday's 12-5 win over the Mariners.

Martinez hit the solo shot off Hisashi Iwakuma in the fourth inning. He finished the game 3 for 5 with three runs scored and two RBI.

Martinez has now homered in four of his last five games and he has 10 RBI over that time.

Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler went 2 for 3 in Monday's loss to St. Louis. 

Soler had one third of the Cubs' hits in the shutout loss, and his double was the team's only extra base hit. 

Soler snapped an 11 at bat hitless stretch and matched the number of hits he'd had in his previous five games.

The American League reserves for the 2015 MLB All-Star game were announced Monday and the following players were selected:

Catcher: Russell Martin, Blue Jays; Stephen Vogt, Athletics

First Base: Prince Fielder, Rangers; Albert Pujols, Angels (will start in place of injured Miguel Cabrera); Mark Teixeira, Yankees (replaces injured Cabrera on roster)

Second Base: Jason Kipnis, Indians

Shortstop: Jose Iglesias, Tigers

Third Base: Manny Machado, Orioles

Outfield: Jose Bautista, Blue Jays; Adam Jones, Orioles; J.D. Martinez, Tigers

Utility: Brock Holt, Red Sox

Starting Pitchers: Sonny Gray, Athletics; Felix Hernandez, Mariners; David Price, Tigers; Dallas Keuchel, Astros; Chris Sale, White Sox; Zach Britton, Orioles; Chris Archer, Rays

Relief Pitchers: Dellin Betances, Yankees; Brad Boxberger, Rays; Zach Britton, Orioles; Wade Davis, Royals; Kelvin Herrera, Royals; Darren O'Day, Orioles; Glen Perkins, Twins

The following players are eligible to be voted in during the final Fan Vote: SS Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox; OF Yoenis Cespedes, Tigers; OF Brett Gardner, Yankees; 2B Brian Dozier, Twins; 3B Mike Moustakas, Royals

The National League All Star reserves and pitchers were announced on Monday evening, and there was no room for the reigning National League MVP.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw was not selected for the All Star team, although he's one of five candidates to take the final spot on the roster in the Final Vote. 

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant made the team as an injury replacement for the Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton. Bryant is one of two rookies on the team, along with Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson. 

The Pirates sent two starting pitchers to the All Star team for the first time since 1960. MLB wins leader Gerrit Cole and fellow Pittsburgh starter A.J. Burnett will both be making their first appearance. 

National League reserves are:

Catchers: Yasmani Grandal, Dodgers; Yadier Molina, Cardinals
First basemen: Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers; Anthony Rizzo, Cubs
Second basemen: DJ LeMahieu, Rockies; Joe Panik, Giants
Third basemen: Nolan Arenado, Rockies; Kris Bryant, Cubs
Shortstop: Brandon Crawford, Giants
Outfielders: Andrew McCutchen, Pirates; Joc Pederson, Dodgers; A.J. Pollock, Diamondbacks; Justin Upton, Padres

National League pitchers are:

Madison Bumgarner, Giants; A.J. Burnett, Pirates; Aroldis Chapman, Reds; RHP: Gerrit Cole, Pirates; Jacob deGrom, Mets; Zack Greinke, Dodgers; Mark Melancon, Pirates; Shelby Miller, Braves; Jonathan Papelbon, Phillies; Francisco Rodriguez, Brewers; Trevor Rosenthal, Cardinals; Max Scherzer, Nationals; Michael Wacha, Cardinals

The five candidates for the Final Vote are:

Johnny Cueto, Reds; Jeurys Familia, Mets; Carlos Martinez, Cardinals; Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers; Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies

Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper went 2 for 3 with a double and a run scored in Sunday's win over the Giants.

Harper is hitting .414 with 12 hits, six doubles, a home runs and three RBI over his last seven games.