MLB Player News

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez returned to the starting lineup Thursday night against the Angels in Anaheim. Martinez missed Wednesday's game due to a quad injury. He is hitting .327 with 13 homers and 44 RBI in 208 at-bats.

Cubs outfield prospect Jorge Soler has played all of 22 games above Class A, which would suggest he's still a ways from reaching the big leagues. And yet what he did in those 22 games got him promoted from Double- to Triple-A, which would suggest he's on the fast track.

As I pointed out in this week's Prospects Report, it would make sense. Soler is unique from most other prospects in that he's already signed to a long-term deal. The Cubs are paying him the same through 2020 no matter when he arrives or what he does, so they only hurt themselves by holding him back. Certainly, they want him ready, but a .415 batting average and 1.355 OPS at Double-A, if only in 22 games, is a pretty good indication he is.

If he keeps it up at Triple-A, the Cubs might decide to cash in on all the money they're paying him and run him out there for the last six weeks or so. And given his experience from Cuba, it wouldn't necessarily be a case of him just getting his feet wet.

Granted, a lot has to go right for all that to happen, but it's a likely enough scenario for you to take a flier on Soler if you don't like what you see on waivers.

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was held out of the starting lineup Thursday against the Astros after leaving Wednesday's game due to a thumb injury. Brandon Moss was in left field Thursday for Oakland.

Manager Bob Melvin said Cespedes might be available off the bench Thursday and could be back in the lineup Friday at Texas.

Cespedes has been on a roll out of the All-Star break, hitting safely in his first five games. He is batting .381 (8 for 21) with two doubles, two home runs, five RBI and six runs in that span.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt was cleared to fly with the team back to San Francisco following the conclusion of their series in Philadelphia Thursday, CSNBayArea.com reports.

Belt is recovering from a concussion, and has still not been cleared to begin physical activities. He has spent most of the team's series in Philadelphia stuck in the team's hotel, and remains without a timeline at this point.  

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard was out of the lineup for the second game in a row Thursday against the Giants in favor of Darin Ruf, and manager Ryan Sandberg told MLB.com this might become a recurring theme.

"The way I see things," Sandberg said. "I basically wanted to give Ruf two days in a row, just to get his feet wet, see him against a right-handed pitcher, then go from there. But in all likelihood, at least after today it will be a scenario of ... I'd be considering a platoon system at first base."

Howard was actually out of the lineup against a right-handed pitcher Thursday, but Sandberg said he wanted to give Darin Ruf two consecutive starts after his callup. The Phillies face two left-handed pitchers during a three-game series against the Diamondbacks beginning Friday, so Sandberg may also get him some time off then.

Howard is struggling against both right and left-handed pitchers this season, but has 10 of his 15 home runs against righties. He is hitting .229/.314/.368 against righties, compared to .209/.275/.407 vs. the opposite hand. 

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was removed from Wednesday's game in the sixth inning with an apparent thumb injury, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Cespedes had a big night before coming out of the game, going 2 for 4 with two home runs and five RBI to help his team take a 7-0 lead by the end of the fourth inning. He has hit .254/.305/.460 with 16 home runs and 61 RBI in 374 at-bats.

The Giants are growing more concerned with first baseman Brandon Belt, who wasn't feeling much better Wednesday and had to be sent back to the hotel, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area reports.

Belt is scheduled to undergo further tests in San Franicsco as he continues to deal with a concussion. He has ben sidelined since Saturday.

Upper quad discomfort prevented Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez from making his appointed rounds Wednesday in Arizona.

Martinez felt a twinge after singling in the eighth inning of the Tuesday loss to the Diamondbacks. He should be considered day-to-day at this point. His torrid stretch has been interrupted by a 3-for-20 slide. Martinez has scored just one run in the last seven games and driven in none in the last four.

The Cubs promoted outfield prospect Jorge Soler from Double-A Tennessee to Triple-A Iowa. Soler is considered the team's sixth-best prospect by MLB.com.

Soler has only played in 29 games this season -- 22 with Tennessee -- due to a hamstring injury. But he hit .415 with a .494 on-base percentage, .862 slugging percentage and 1.355 OPS with Tennessee. He also had one triple, six home runs, nine doubles and 22 RBI.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt is still days away from baseball activity, according to MLB.com.

Belt is dealing with a concussion. He's said to be "making progress," but will still need time before he's ready to return to action. Belt was placed on the disabled list July 20.