MLB Player News

After starting eight games in a row, Mariners shortstop Chris Taylor will get the day off on Wednesday, as he is being held out of the lineup versus the Rays. In those eight games, the young Taylor has just six hits in 28 at-bats. So manager Lloyd McClendon has decided to give him a rest and clear his head a little.

Brad Miller will get the start at shortstop with Dustin Ackley entering the lineup in left field for the afternoon affair. 

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt has been on a offensive tear as of late. He continued the trend on Tuesday, hitting 1 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI in his team's 6-3 win over the Brewers.

For the season, Belt is hitting .301/.375/.510 with five home runs and 20 RBI in 143 at-bats.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper hit his 17th home run of the season in Tuesday night's 3-2 loss to the Cubs. 

His home run came at a needed time, with the Nationals down 1-0 in the top of the seventh. Hitting leadoff that inning, Harper hit a solo shot to tie the game up. It was Harper's lone hit of the game as he finished 1 for 4. 

Since entering the majors in 2012, Harper has showed enormous potential. This season, though, it's all come together with the young ballplayer performing as one of the game's best.

Since a three-home run game against the Marlins on May 6, Harper has hit .467 at the plate with 12 of his home runs coming in that span. 

For the year, Harper now has a slash line of .331/.467/.734. 

Twins DH Kennys Vargas has been crushing the baseball following his demotion to Triple-A Rochester. Vargas homered for the third time in six games Monday.

He has a .409/.458/.864/1.322 slash line since joining the Rochester lineup. He has hit safely in all but one game. He also has one double, two walks, five strikeouts, six walks and six runs.

Vargas was demoted to the minors last week after batting .248 with three home runs, 10 RBI and 30 strikeouts in 29 games for Minnesota.

Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton went 2 for 4 at the plate in Miami's 4-2 loss to the Pirates on Monday. Stanton got things going early when he ripped an RBI single in the first off of Charlie Morton. 

Then in the third, Stanton blasted a solo home run to right field off of Morton, his 13th of the season. Stanton is now hitting .234 with 42 RBI in 171 at-bats this season.

Dodgers infielder Justin Turner hasn't been given the title just yet, but it's becoming apparent he is the team's primary third baseman over Alex Guerrero and Juan Uribe, according to the L.A. Times. 

Turner has started 13 of 20 games this month for Los Angeles, but has not started more than three consecutive games all year.

"We try to be three [games] on, one off and two on and one off," manager Don Mattingly said. "Trying basically to not let him go too far at one time."

Mattingly is trying to juggle the three players in his infield as much as possible, keeping them all around equal playing time. 

"It's tough with Alex and Justin right now," Mattingly said. "We're trying to put the best lineup out there. I do think as this continues on, there's going to be a point where Juan's going to be a valuable part. But right now, those two guys have been swinging the bat real well and playing solid defense."

Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton is generally a good bet to produce against most any pitcher. But his matchup Monday against Pittsburgh starter Charlie Morton is particularly promising.

Stanton is 7-for-15 lifetime against Morton with three walks. Oddly, however, he has no home runs in those plate appearances.

David Murphy will step into the DH role on Monday as the Indians face the Rangers, just the second time in nine games that Murphy will be in that role. 

Murphy will hit fifth in Cleveland's lineup against Texas starter Phil Klein. He has only faced Klein once, but has a hit in that lone at-bat. Murphy is hitting .529 with two doubles and two RBIs from the five-hole. 

Two other Indians starters, Lonnie Chisenhall and Michael Brantley, have also just faced Klein once, and both have hit solo home runs against the pitcher. 

First baseman Miguel Cabrera was not in the Tigers lineup Monday, the first time all season the slugger has not started. Cabrera will be replaced at first base by Hernan Perez.

Manager Brad Ausmus said that Cabrera's ankle has been cranky the last few days, making Monday a good time to give the slugger an off-day following the team's flight to Oakland, the Detroit Free Press reports. He is available as a pinch-hitter against the A's.

"Just give him a day mentally," said Ausmus when asked if he considered tabbing Cabrera as the designated hitter, per MLive.com. "His ankle has been a little cranky the last few days, so it's a good time. Especially after the flight."

In addition, rookie shortstop Dixon Machado will make the first start of his MLB career and hit ninth for the Tigers. Machado was called up from Triple-A on Sunday as Jose Iglesias battles a sore knee. 

Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez has been scratched from the Monday lineup against the host Reds because of illness, per MLB.com.

Gonzalez, who did not play Sunday, has been unproductive in 2015 with a slash line of .206/.285/.326.

His spot was assumed Monday by Charlie Blackmon, who was originally not in the lineup.