MLB Player News

Red Sox outfielder Yoenis Cespedes left Thursday's game due to a "family medical emergency."

Manager John Farrell did not want to get into specifics regarding the issue out of respect to Cespedes. The club is hopeful that Cespedes will be able to play Friday. He was replaced by Will Middlebrooks in the fourth inning. 

Red Sox outfielder Yoenis Cespedes left Thursday's game due to a personal matter.

Cespedes left in the top of the fourth inning. He was replaced by Will Middlebrooks. Cespedes struck out in his only at-bat of the game. 

I've got to hand it to Al Melchior: His predictions this year have been spot-on.

To say I didn't like Kennys Vargas would be inaccurate. Back on Aug. 5, I touted him under the headline "Kennys Vargas could surprise people." But I wasn't willing to endorse him over Kendrys Morales and Steve Pearce, as Al did Thursday morning on the Fantasy Baseball Today podcast.

So of course that afternoon, Vargas goes 3 for 4 with a homer. The timing is incredible.

I'm still not willing to endorse him over Morales, who has a steady track record, or Pearce, who CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman spoke enthusiastically about on Thursday's Fantasy Baseball Today, but he's now officially surprised people. No "could" about it.

Given his strikeout rate, his batting average could be in for a steep regression, but I think Vargas deserves at least as much hype as C.J. Cron got earlier this season. His ownership rate reached 56 percent at one point. Vargas' is currently 35.

Twins designated hitter Kennys Vargas went yard Thursday against the Indians. 

Vargas struck in the bottom of the fourth inning. He took a 93 mph sinker from Corey Kluber out to left for a solo shot. Vargas would also double and single during the outing. He finished 3 for 4, with two runs scored and one RBI. 

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt said he expects to be back before the end of the season, according to 95.7 The Game.

Belt will be re-evaluated in three weeks. He's been out since August 6 due to concussion-related issues. Belt has hit .237/.296/.446 over 186 at-bats. 

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera was serving as the designated hitter for Thursday's game against the Rays after aggravating an ankle injury Wednesday, manager Brad Ausmus told reporters.

Cabrera has served as the DH in 13 of his 123 games this season. Ausmus does not think this injury is much of a concern moving forward. 

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper put together a three-hit game Wednesday against the Diamondbacks, his second since returning from the disabled list, the Washington Post reports.

Harper sparked the team's game-winning rally in the ninth inning with his third single of the game, and manager Matt Williams said how he got the hit was the most encouraging part of the performance.

"He hit the ball back through the middle [Wednesday], which is really important for him," Williams said.

Harper has struggled to find his power swing this season thanks to a thumb injury, but he is hitting .282 with a .375 on-base percentage since the All-Star break. Impressed by his approach Wednesday, Williams believes the power will follow.

"But if he stays through the middle like that, he's going to get a lot of hits, and I feel if he trusts himself to do that, the home runs will come," Williams said. "They will come. They'll come on hanging breaking balls and change-ups up in the zone, if he can stay middle of the diamond. And he's working hard on that. So I'm proud of his approach."

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt will remain sidelined for at least two or three more weeks, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Belt will be held out of baseball activities for the next few weeks in order to rest, per orders from the doctor. He is attempting to return from a concussion.

Marlins center fielder Marcell Ozuna has gone from cold to hot. He slammed three hits against visiting Texas on Wednesday to make him 9 for 23 in the last five games after a 0-for-15 slide.

Ozuna homered for the second straight game, a 398-foot shot to left in the ninth inning. He had already doubled and scored in the fourth and singled. He has a stat line .261/.316/.440 stat line on the year with 17 home runs and 63 RBI.

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez clubbed his 17th home run Tuesday against the Rays.

Martinez waited until the eighth inning to strike. He led off the inning by taking a 75 mph curveball out to center field for the solo shot. Martinez would also single during the contest. He finished 2 for 5, with one run scored and one RBI.