MLB Player News

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt was forced out of Tuesday's contest against Arizona with a groin strain, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Belt came up lame after trying to catch a popup near the first base line in the bottom of the fourth inning. He lined out in the first and singled in the fourth before limping out of the game. He was replaced by Joaquin Arias.

After the game, manager Bruce Bochy told reporters that Belt will undergo an MRI on Wednesday to determine the extent of the injury. Belt is hitting .167 this season. Bochy acknowledged that he will have his Triple-A options on alert because he is lacking depth on the bench, per Comcast SportsNet Bay Area.

"I just don't think it's too bad right now in my opinion," Belt said, per the Bay Area News Group.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly stopped short Monday of calling rookie Joc Pederson the team's starting center fielder, but he added, "You're going to see Joc a lot in center field."

"We really like the way Joc goes about his business," Mattingly said, per MLB.com. 

Mattingly added Scott Van Slyke and Andre Ethier are likely going to start in center field the days Pederson is off, per the Los Angeles Times. 

Mattingly said he spoke with Ethier over the weekend about his reserve role. Ethier was hoping to be a starter -- either with the Dodgers or another team.

"Any step can change his whole situation," Mattingly said. "If one guy takes a bad step, turns an ankle, Andre's playing every day."

Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen went 2 for 4 from the plate Monday, including a two-run home run, in Pittsburgh's 5-2 loss to the Reds.

McCutchen started 0 for 2 in the game, but rallied late. After a single in the sixth, McCutchen ripped a two-run homer to center field off reliever Kevin Gregg in the eighth inning to tie the game at 2.

"He has a comfort zone here," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "He's hit some big homers late."

However, Todd Frazier broke the tie in the bottom half of the inning with a three-run shot.

Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper went 2 for 4 with a solo home run in Washington's 3-1 loss to the Mets Monday. 

Harper was the only National to break through starter Bartolo Colon, taking him to deep right field to lead off the fourth inning with a home run. Harper also singled and struck out in Washington's Opening Day loss.

The Giants Opening Day lineup will go left fielder Norichika Aoki, second baseman Joe Panik, center fielder Angel Pagan, catcher Buster Posey, first baseman Brandon Belt, third baseman Casey McGehee, shortstop Brandon Crawford, right fielder Gregor Blanco and pitcher Madison Bumgarner.

It was uncertain where Aoki would be slotted in the lineup with manager Bruce Bochy experimenting with him leading off during spring training.

Tigers outfielder Yoenis Cespedes had his first double and triple of the season during Monday's season opener against the Twins. Both of Cespedes' extra-base hits came off Twins starting pitcher Phil Hughes.

Cespedes, who scored twice Monday, hit .311 with one triple, three doubles, five home runs and 11 RBI in 22 spring games. He had his 16th career triple in Monday's 4-0 win.

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez connected for just one hit in four at-bats during Monday's season opener against the Twins, but he at least made it count.

Martinez gave Detroit a 1-0 lead with a solo home run off Phil Hughes leading off a three-run second inning. 

Martinez, who hit a career-high 23 home runs in 2014, connected for five home runs this spring. He also hit .313 with four doubles, 11 RBI and 14 runs in 24 games.

Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson drew the start in center field for Monday's season opener against the Padres. He was penciled in to hit seventh against starting pitcher James Shields.

Pederson had a great spring offensively, batting .338 with five doubles, six home runs, 13 RBI and 14 runs in 26 games.

After some initial concerns Miguel Cabrera (ankle) and Victor Martinez (knee) might not be ready for the start of the season after both players underwent surgery in the offseason, they were able to make it into the Tigers' Opening Day lineup against the Twins. Cabrera is batting third and playing at first base, while Martinez is the DH and batting cleanup.

On the mound for Minnesota is right-hander Phil Hughes. Martinez is batting .259 (7 for 27) with no home runs, two doubles and two RBI in his career against Hughes, while Cabrera is batting .471 (16 for 34) with four doubles, five home runs and 12 RBI against Hughes.

Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta is batting cleanup for Sunday's season opener against the Cubs.

Peralta took just 74 of his 560 at-bats from the fourth spot in the lineup last season but will fill the role in the team's regular-season debut.

The full Cardinals lineup: 3B Matt Carpenter, RF Jason Heyward, LF Matt Holliday, SS Peralta, 1B Matt Adams, C Yadier Molina, 2B Kolten Wong, CF Jon Jay, SP Adam Wainwright.