MLB Player News

Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler hit a solo home run in his major-league debut Wednesday as the Cubs fell to the Reds, 7-5.

Soler went back-to-back with Luis Valbuena, driving a ball over the centerfield fence to cement a memorable debut. He finished the game 2 for 4 with two RBI.

Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner has taken the opportunity and run with it at the plate.

Turner has become an every-day player since mid-August and has hit safely in seven of his last eight games. He has 11 hits in 28 at-bats with seven RBI and five runs scored. His stat line on the season has improved to .316/.387/.442.

A rib ailment that knocked Pirates slugger Andrew McCutchen out of the Tuesday night game does not have him sidelined for the Wednesday afternoon game against visiting St. Louis. He is in the lineup.

McCutchen sustained the injury crashing into the wall in the third inning, though he remained in the game for a while. His hitless performance ended a strong stretch in which he slugged seven hits, including three home runs, in the previous four games.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen was removed from Tuesday's game due to left rib discomfort, the team announced.

McCutchen crashed into the wall while making a play in the third inning and remained in for a few innings before coming out. He finished 0 for 3 at the plate and will be re-evaluated Wednesday.

Kennys Vargas has his strengths for sure. The most obvious is ... his strength. He can hit the ball out of the park and has done so four times in his first 95 at-bats.

But that projects to, what, 24 homers in 600 at-bats? It certainly isn't why he's the No. 4 first baseman in Head-to-Head leagues since arriving Aug. 1. And that worries me.

It worries me because if it's supposed to be his strength, then other, less sustainable aspects of his game are carrying him, leaving him vulnerable to collapse.

I don't think it's at all a stretch to say he won't keep hitting .337. He has already struck out 27 times in those 95 at-bats, and with only four walks. Once opposing pitchers pick up on his tendencies, they'll take advantage of his aggressiveness. To put it another way, his .424 BABIP is ridiculous.

Vargas has also accumulated 23 RBI in only 23 games. The law of averages says that won't last even before you apply the correction in batting average. Cut those two measurements down to size, and Vargas is looking more like a Kendrys Morales-type player.

Which may seem unfair to those only familiar with the 2014 version of Kendrys Morales, but basically all I'm saying is Vargas is a serviceable corner infielder at this stage of his career, nothing more. You can ride him while he's hot, but ultimately he won't measure up to first basemen like Justin Morneau and Matt Adams.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera is back in the lineup Tuesday against the Yankees, after getting a few days off to rest a sore ankle.

Cabrera is batting third and starting at first base, the first time he has been in the field since Friday. He got two days off entirely as he was not in the lineup Sunday, ahead of Monday's off-day.

If you feel like you've gotten burned with Jon Singleton, Oscar Taveras and Gregory Polanco already (though Polanco, I'd argue, gave you everything you could have wanted for all but his last two weeks on the job), you may be reluctant to take a flier on Jorge Soler, who's supposed to join the Cubs in Cincinnati Tuesday.

But he's worth it, for the reasons I spell out in my latest post to the Fantasy Baseball Today blog and more.

You could argue any prospect of his caliber is worth it, but I want to use this space to emphasize just what caliber of prospect he is. We weren't so sure coming into the season. He spent much of last year injured and tinkering with his swing. But for all the hype Kris Bryant has gotten, Soler actually has a higher batting average and slugging percentage between the same two levels of competition this year. And he heads to the majors on a high note, batting .625 (10 for 16) with three homers in his last four games.

Maybe he makes a big splash in September; maybe he doesn't. But surely this time of year, you'll want to be the one who capitalizes if he does.

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton 1 for 3 with two walks and a three-run home run in his team's 7-1 victory over the Angels Monday.

The National League home-run and RBI leader, Stanton is squarely in the middle of the MVP race, and his batting average is threatening to cross the .300 threshold for the first time since the All-Star break. He owns a .299/.407/.566 line with 33 home runs and 97 RBI in 482 at-bats.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen belted his 20th home run Monday against the Cardinals.

McCutchen struck in the ninth inning. He took a 94 mph fastball from Trevor Rosenthal out to left for a solo shot. McCutchen also singled twice earlier in the contest. He finished 3 for 4, with one run scored and one RBI. 

Cubs outfield prospect Jorge Soler will be called up Tuesday, according to CSNChicago.

Soler was pulled from Monday's Triple-A game, prompting speculation he would be coming up. Soler went 1 for 2, with a three-run homer during Monday's game. He's hit .278/.376/.593 over 108 at-bats in Triple-A.