MLB Player News

Miguel Cabrera was in the Tigers' starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the Twins. He missed Sunday's game versus the White Sox, as he continues to deal with groin soreness.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland had indicated over the weekend that he may need to sit Cabrera for some games during the regular season's final week.

Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon, hoping to win a spot with the club next season, has thrived with Carlos Gonzalez and Dexter Fowler sidelined by injuries, according to the Denver Post, batting .433 (26 for 60) with seven doubles, one triple, one homer and one steal in his last 13 games. He has just two walks during that stretch, though.

"If you play well, hopefully there is a place for you somewhere," Blackmon said. "But I don't look into the future, I just look at what I can do today. That's the only way I can approach things."

Despite his lack of plate discipline, Blackmon has made an impression manager Walt Weiss.

"I think the bottom line is that he is stringing together a lot of good at-bats and he has a nice plan at the plate," Weiss said. "Charlie's been a real bright spot for our club."

Cardinals second baseman Matt Carpenter hit his 11th home run in Sunday's loss to Milwaukee.

Carpenter finished 2 for 3 with two runs scored, an RBI and a pair of walks. Carpenter is hitting .324/.396/.491 and continues to build a strong MVP case.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland is uncertain how much playing time third baseman Miguel Cabrera will receive over the final week of the season, Mlive.com reports.

"He might come in and say he can play but I'm not playing him," Leyland said. "His leg is black and blue. I'm worried about it, to be honest with you, but I don't know what I can do about it. We just have to move forward, keep chugging along. It's a Catch 22 because you want him out there on base. But if he's out there four times, there's a chance it's going to get sore. He got three hits and a walk (before leaving Saturday's game). He's so good."

Leyland also worries about Cabrera receiving too much time off.

"You're going to have four days off after the season before the playoffs start," Leyland said. "All of sudden, you rest him three or four days, now that's seven out of eight days you don't play your best hitter. Going into the playoffs without seeing a pitch for seven or eight days, that's not good either. That's a Catch 22. Common sense tells you to let him rest but if you rest him for three or four days and then you have four days before they start if you get in, you're talking he's rested for a week and hasn't seen a pitcher. That not good. That's tough."

Cabrera leads the league in multiple hitting categories and is likely the favorite to win his second consecutive AL MVP award.

Mariners infielder Brad Miller remains out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels. He had hoped to return to the lineup Sunday after intensifying workouts in recent days but remains day to day with a strained hamstring.

Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera is out of the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox. Cabrera left Saturday's game with tightness in his groin that could keep him out for a few days, if not longer.

"I don't think it's too good," manager Jim Leyland told MLB.com after Saturday's game.

Cabrera, who has the major-league lead in all three slash statistics with a .349/.445/.647 line in 536 at-bats, has hit 44 home runs and a league-leading 136 RBI. The Tigers will likely have a clearer sense of the severity of his groin injury Sunday.

Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera was forced out of Saturday's contest against the White Sox because of groin soreness.

Cabrera played nine innings but was replaced by Don Kelly once the game went to extras. He finished 3 for 4 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI before leaving the game. He is considered as day to day with the injury.

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller remained out of action Saturday against the Angels. Miller is day to day due to a strained hamstring.

He was hoping to return by Sunday and has intensified workouts in an effort to get back. Miller is batting .260 with six homers and 31 RBI with five steals in 281 at-bats.

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes returned to the lineup Friday in the DH role and went 1 for 4 with his 25th home run of the season in his team's 11-0 win over the Twins.

Cespedes also homered in his last game Wednesday before getting a cortisone shot to help shoulder tendinitis, which kept him out Thursday. He has hit .243/.299/.447 with 25 home runs and 77 RBI in 510 at-bats.

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller remains out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Angels. He took part in baseball activities Thursday and was schedule to intensify the workout before Friday's game.

Miller could return to the lineup as early as this weekend. Out with a strained hamstring since Saturday, he's hit .260/.314/.402 with six home runs, 31 RBI and five stolen bases in 281 at-bats.