MLB Player News

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez homered for the second straight game and third time in four games, while extending his hitting streak to nine games during a 2-1 win Thursday vs. Kansas City. 

Martinez's only hit Thursday was a two-out solo home run off Danny Duffy in the fourth inning, which was the go-ahead hit and stood as the eventual game winner.

Martinez is batting .412 (14 for 34) with three home runs, four doubles, five runs and eight RBI during his nine-game hit streak. He's totaled six home runs, six doubles and 16 RBI in his last 20 games since May 18.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper expects to play between seven and nine rehab games before returning, according to CSN.

Harper is attempting to come back after thumb surgery. He was able to take batting practice on the field Thursday, and reportedly performed well. Harper was hitting .289 in 83 at-bats prior to his injury.

The Tigers might be mired in a pretty bad slump, losing 20 of their last 29 games through Wednesday, but amid the tough times has been the surprising play of outfielder J.D. Martinez. The 26-year-old outfielder is batting .355 with a .694 slugging percentage, 1.072 OPS, five home runs, six doubles and 15 RBI in his last 19 games.

Martinez's hot streak hasn't slipped past manager Brad Ausmus, who said "we have to" keep Martinez in the lineup because "he's swinging the bat well." (per MLive.com). That statement right there is really encouraging for Fantasy owners.

Ausmus doesn't have an easy job because he has four outfielders -- Martinez, Rajai Davis, Austin Jackson and Torii Hunter -- for three spots. Not to forget Andy Dirks (back) might be back next month. But even Ausmus is sensing he's probably going to have to keep Martinez in the lineup on a regular basis while his numbers are this good.

I know Martinez failed in Houston and didn't get off to a great start after his promotion from the minors this season. But prior to his callup, he was tearing the cover off the ball, like he is doing now. He hit .308 with an .846 slugging percentage, 1.212 OPS, 10 home runs and 22 RBI in 17 games for Triple-A Toledo. 

Ausmus even said Martinez profiles as a No. 5 hitter because of his power. If he keeps hitting behind Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez, then he's going to get pitches to hit and this might be more than a hot streak. We just have to hope Ausmus sticks to his word and finds regular playing time for Martinez.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper took batting practice Thursday, according to The Washington Post.

Harper is recovering from thumb surgery. He reportedly looked good during the session, hitting a ball out to left and almost taking another shot to the upper deck in right. Manager Matt Williams has said he expects Harper back July 1.

As expected, Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton did not miss a beat after leaving the game Wednesday with a wrist injury sustained when he collided with the wall trying to make a play. He is in the lineup for the Thursday night clash against the Mets.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley was not in the team's starting lineup Thursday.

As expected, Brantley will need more time to recover from a concussion. As of right now, the team will not place him on the seven-day concussion disabled list. There's a chance Brantley will return to action Saturday.

Over 266 at-bats, Brantley is hitting .323/.391/.519.

Dodgers infielder Justin Turner will not return to the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies.

Turner has been out of the starting lineup since last Thursday, though he's been able to pinch hit three times since that day, including Tuesday night. He'll target the team's weekend series against the Padres to rejoin the starting lineup after dealing with a calf injury this week.

Second baseman Matt Carpenter was pretty much the entire offense for the Cardinals in a Wednesday loss to the Mets.

Carpenter set a tone that his teammates did not follow with a home run leading off the first inning. He doubled and scored in the ninth, but St. Louis fell short.

The big game was the first in a while for Carpenter, who was in a 2-for-22 slide heading into the game.

Mike Redmond indicated that he might have kept Giancarlo Stanton in a tighter game Wednesday despite a wrist contusion, but a four-run deficit motivated him to remove his slugger. Stanton had an unfriendly encounter with the outfield wall in the top of the first, though he showed no ill-effects when he slammed a home run in the bottom of the inning for the Marlins.

"I saw him kind of grimace after his first at-bat but then he hit the home run so I wasn't too concerned," Redmond told the Palm Beach Post. "As the game went along and it continued to get a little sore, at that point, being down 5-1, I just wanted to make sure we got him out of there. We need this guy for the long haul. He wanted to stay in but I'm thinking about tomorrow and the next day."

Stanton is all but set to play Thursday.

The removal of Marlins sizzling slugger Giancarlo Stanton from the game Wednesday with a wrist contusion appears to have been merely precautionary. He is expected to return to the lineup Thursday against the Mets, per the Miami Herald.

Stanton slugged a solo home run in the first inning of the loss to the Cubs. He has three homers in his last six games.