MLB Player News

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller connected off Tim Lincecum for his sixth home run of season during Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Giants.

The solo shot occurred in the fifth inning. He also drove in another run when he hit a single in the sixth inning, which drove in Kyle Seager. Miller finished the game 2 for 4.

"It felt pretty good," Miller said of his homer, per MLB.com. "I was just trying to get in there and be ready to go from the get-go and I put a good pass on it. He's a pitcher. That's what he does. He mixes, he can throw every pitch and he knows what he's doing up there. You just have to get in there and see something and try to hit it."

Prior to his two-hit game Tuesday, Miller was hitting .257 with one triple and one RBI in his last 11 games.

When the Twins opted to bring top prospect Byron Buxton to the majors over the weekend, some within the organization were suprised by the move, including Buxton's manager at Double-A Chattanooga and former major leaguer Doug Mientkiewicz.

“I don’t think he’s completely ready,” Mientkiewicz told Fox Sports on Monday. “Well, part of me says yes, and part of me says no.

“What I tell my players is we want to cross every ‘t’ and dot every ‘i’.  We want to make sure when you get to the big leagues you stay. None of this shuffling back and forth.

“Definitely, without a question, he was ready to play defense two years ago. Offensively, it’s going to come and go. He’s young. It’s like anybody else. It’s going to take time.

“One thing about the kid -- he can handle it mentally. I hate to say this, but when there is no better alternative, why not? He’s definitely better than anyone they have right now. They’re looking for a spark. When he gets going, he can provide an excitement they haven’t seen in a while.”

Buxton started Sunday and Monday for the Twins. He is 1 for 7 (.143) with one triple, two runs and two strikeouts. He has had eight chances in center field and had putouts on all eight plays.

“I don’t mean any disrespect to the kid at all,” Mientkiewicz said. “There are moments he will do well and moment he won’t. (General manager) Terry (Ryan) understands that. (Manager Paul Molitor) understands that. Molly has called me at least four or five times on him. I love the kid to death. He’s the best we got. Might as well throw him up there.”

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez smacked his 13th home run of season to help lead the Tigers to a 6-0 win over the Reds on Monday.

Martinez hit the two-run shot off Nate Adcock in the sixth inning. He finished the game 2 for 4 with two RBI.

Prior to his two-hit game Monday, Martinez was hitting .324 with three home runs and 10 RBI in his last nine games.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper made his return to the starting lineup Monday against the Rays after sitting out Sunday due to a knee injury. He was in the lineup Monday as the team's DH.

Harper has hit safely in five straight games and continues to thrive offensively in June. He is batting .415 with a .732 slugging percentage and 1.252 OPS in 12 June games. He also has three home runs, four doubles, eight RBI, six runs and eight walks.

Don Mattingly has finally confirmed what has been assumed for a while - that Justin Turner is the starting third baseman for the Dodgers.

"It's pretty much Justin," Mattingly told the Orange County Register.

Turner has been the man since Juan Uribe was traded to Atlanta, though he lost a few games with a knee ailment. He has hit safely in each of his last six starts and owns a fine slash line of .316/.388/.493.

Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez went 2 for 4 in Sunday's win over Cleveland. 

Martinez hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning. He now has 12 home runs and 32 RBI this season. 

Martinez has now hit in eight straight games. 

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera went 3 for 4 with three runs scored in Sunday's win over Cleveland. 

Cabrera hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, his 14th of the year and second in three days. Cabrera has multiple hits and RBI in each of the last three games. 

Cabrera now has 45 RBI on the year. 

Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes went 1 for 4 with a run scored in Sunday's win over Cleveland. 

The single extended Cespedes' hitting streak to eight straight games. 

Indians left fiedler Michael Brantley went 0 for 4 in Sunday's loss to Detroit.

The hitless game was Brantley's first since May 29. It snapped his 11-game hitting streak, which had been the second-longest active streak in MLB and longest in the American League. 

Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler began throwing as a part of his rehab process on Sunday, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.

Soler, who is one the 15-day disabled list, will be able to remove the protective boot he's been forced to wear on his ankle soon. He has not begun hitting yet.

Soler is hitting .265 with four home runs and 19 RBI in 189 at-bats this season.