MLB Player News

Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera made some nice plays in the field and had a double in Tuesday's All-Star Game win at Citi Field in New York.

Cabrera, batting third, doubled into the right-center gap and scored a run in the 3-0 win.

He finished 1 for 3 with a strikeout and enters the second half of the season batting .365 with 30 homers and 95 RBI. Cabrera is looking for his second consecutive Triple Crown and trails only Chris Davis in homers at the break. Davis has 37. 

Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes put an exclamation mark on the Home Run Derby by smashing a 455-foot bomb to straightaway center field to win it Monday night. Cespedes became the first player in history to win the derby despite not making the All-Star team.

Cespedes defeated Bryce Harper in the championship as he hit nine home runs in the final round to Harper's eight. Cespedes bashed monstrous home run after monstrous home run and easily led everyone after a first round 17.

The 27-year-old, batting .225 on the year with 15 homers and 43 RBI, hasn't homered in a game since going deep twice back on June 21 at Seattle.

Mets infielder Justin Turner has moved his rehab assignment up to Double-A Binghamton, ESPN reports Monday. All signs continue to point to Turner rejoining the Mets Friday.

Turner, who is rehabbing from an intercostal injury, was with Class A St. Lucie for one game and went 0 for 4 with a walk. He has been out since the middle of June. 

Turner, who has made 16 starts at various positions, is batting .266 with six RBI and six doubles in 44 games over 94 at-bats.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper will bat ninth for the first time in his career during Tuesday's All-Star Game.

Harper will play center field, and hit behind DH Michael Cuddyer. He'll oppose AL starter Max Scherzer. Harper is hitting .264/.371/.522 in 201 at-bats. 

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt homered and extended his modest hitting streak to five games Saturday at San Diego. Belt supplied two hits and three RBI to back Tim Lincecum's no-hit performance.

Belt had his first multi-hit game in July Saturday. He is batting .250 (10 for 40) with one triple, two home runs, three doubles, four RBI, seven walks and eight runs in 11 July games.

Some have suggested that Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera should sit out the All-Star Game to rest his ailing back, MLive.com reports Sunday. Manager Jim Leyland never suggested that, however. 

"No," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "That was never an issue."

Cabrera did remove himself from consideration to participate in the Home Run Derby, but was always expected to play in the Midsummer Classic. 

The defending American League Most Valuable Player and Triple Crown winner will be making his first All-Star start. He's batting .367 with 30 home runs and 95 RBI entering Sunday. 

Phillies outfielder Darin Ruf homered in the first game of the club's doubleheader Saturday against the White Sox.

Ruf finished 3 for 4 with two runs scored, a walk and an RBI. Even with an 0 for 4 in the second game of the doubleheader, Ruf owns a brilliant .375/.483/.750 line in eight games this season.

Mets infielder Justin Turner is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Class A St. Lucie Sunday, ESPN reports. Turner went 0 for 4 and served as a designated hitter for the Gulf Coast League Mets Saturday. He is expected back at some point next week when the Mets resume the second half of the season.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was ejected in the eighth inning of Saturday's game against the Marlins for arguing ball and strikes.

Harper threw his arms up after being called out on strikes and was immediately ejected. It was his third career ejection, with two of the three occurring in Miami. Harper finished 0 for 3 with a walk and was replaced by Scott Hairston.

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton homered for the ninth time this season Friday during an 8-3 win over Washington. Stanton took Stephen Strasburg deep for a two-run shot in the second frame. 

He finished 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored. He's batting .246. 

Stanton has recorded at least one base hit in five of his last six games. He has gone 5 for 19 (.263) over that stretch with four RBI. The homer Friday was his first of the month.