MLB Player News

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter went 1 for 3 at the plate in St. Louis' 3-2 win over the Pirates in 14 innings on Sunday.

Carpenter did his damage in the fourth inning when he took a Vance Worley pitch out of the park for a solo shot, his fourth of the season. Carpenter was removed larter on after dealing with "light headness." 

Carpenter, who also struck out twice, boosted his average to .365 with 16 RBI in 96 at-bats this season. 

Twins first baseman Kennys Vargas went 2 for 5 at the plate in Minnesota's 13-3 win over the White Sox on Sunday.

Vargas did his damage in the sixth inning when he hit a lead off home run over the center field wall off of Zach Putnam, his second of the year. Vargas boosted his average to .208 with five RBI in 72 at-bats this season.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera went 3 for 4 with a two-run home run in his team's 6-4 win over the Royals Sunday.

Cabrera extended his team's lead to 6-0 with his fifth-inning home run, and it provided to be the decisive hit of the game after the Royals were able to rally for four runs in the seventh and eighth innings. He was just 1 for 8 in the previous three games of the series but had drawn four walks to provide a constant presence on base.

Cabrera has hit .366/.459/.624 with six home runs and 19 RBI in 93 at-bats.

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said that he plans to find days off for some of his regulars who haven't missed a game yet this year. 

Miguel Cabrera has started every game at first base. Ian Kinsler has been a fixture at second, and one day at DH is the only thing that kept Yoenis Cespedes out of left field this season. 

"Absolutely (a day off) can help," Ausmus said, per the Detroit Free Press. "Even if you're not struggling, just to not have to think about every pitch every at-bat, you just kind of sit back for a day and watch the game until you're called upon to go into it. It's almost like going to a spa for the day. It's mentally relaxing."

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter left Sunday's game against the Pirates with light headness, the team has announced.

Carpenter was 1 for 3 with a home run before exiting.

Kolten Wong subsequently entered the game at second base and Peter Kozma, who started at second, moved over to third.

Athletics designated hitter Billy Butler is out of the starting lineup for Sunday's game. It will be just the second start Butler has missed this season. 

Mark Canha moves to DH from left field to give Butler a day of rest. Sam Fuld shifts from center to left to replace Canha. 

Entering the lineup to fill Fuld's vacancy in center is Billy Burns, who will bat leadoff. Burns is making his second consecutive start in center. 

For the fourth time this season, Joe Mauer and Kennys Vargas will switch positions to give Mauer a day off from the field. 

Mauer will play designated hitter for the Twins in Sunday's game, while Vargas will play first base. It's the second time in five games and third in the last nine that the two players have flip-flopped positions. 

Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler and right fielder Jorge Soler have assumed their regular spots in the batting order Sunday, with Fowler leading off and Soler following him in the second slot.

Manager Joe Maddon bumped Soler to the leadoff role Saturday, wanting to send a message that the right fielder was "out there to score runs." He went 1 for 3 with a walk in the game and is now 3 for 7 in his team's series against the Brewers. Fowler is back in the leadoff spot after going 0 for 4 with two strikeouts as the No. 2 hitter Saturday.

The Cubs are heavy favorites (-160) against the Brewers Sunday.

Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner went 2 for 3 at the plate in Los Angeles' 6-4 win over the Diamondbacks on Saturday.

Turner got things going early when he ripped a solo home run in the first inning off of Jeremy Hellickson, his third of the season. Turner also doubled and scored three runs in the contest.

Turner is now hitting .300 with six RBI in 40 at-bats this season.

Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson went 1 for 5 at the plate in Los Angeles' 6-4 win over the Diamondbacks on Saturday. 

Pederson got things going in the seventh when he ripped the first pitch he saw from Evan Marshall over the center field wall, his fourth consecutive game with an at-bat in which he's hit a home run, becoming the first Dodger to accomplish that feat since Bill Sudakis in 1969, per the Elias Sports Bureau.

"Obviously, huge for us," manager Don Mattingly said after the game, per MLB.com. "It shows how strong Joc is, to go the opposite way, there's a lot there. I do think he's making adjustments."

Pederson is now hitting .292 with six home runs and 15 RBI in 65 at-bats.