MLB Player News

Matt Carpenter put together his best game of the season with four hits, a home run, two runs and two RBI in five at bats for the Cardinals Wednesday against the Reds.

Carpenter is now hitting a robust .400/.462/.629 with six RBI. He's showing why the Cardinals are willing to carve out places in the lineup even if he has to play out of his normal position -- Wednesday marked his second game at second base this season, and if he continues to hit like this the Cardinals will be loathe to put him on the bench regardless of his fielding chops.

When Daniel Descalso got the start over Matt Carpenter at second base for the Cardinals in David Freese's return from the DL Tuesday, the Fantasy owners who targeted Carpenter as their eventual second baseman were worried. Even when he returned to the lineup Tuesday, it didn't eliminate those feelings of doubt given that he was replacing Freese rather than Descalso.

You can breathe, Carpenter owners. Both he and Freese were in the lineup Wednesday, with Carpenter at second base, and as of the seventh inning, our ace in the hole had gone 3 for 4 with a homer. I'd say his role is safe.

And I maintain he's Martin Prado, Part 2.

Astros outfielder J.D. Martinez had his best game of the season Tuesday at Seattle. Martinez homered and drove in three runs in a 16-9 win. 

He also scored twice. Martinez is batting .263 (5 for 19) with one home run, three RBI and six strikeouts in seven games.

Atheltics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes produced his first multi-hit game of the season Tuesday at L.A. Angels. Cespedes singled twice, walked twice and scored two runs.

Cespedes is still without a double or triple, but he has two home runs and five RBI in eight games. He's batting .179 (5 for 28) with 10 strikeouts.

After being pulled from the contest Monday due to what he called a "mental mistake," Astros outfielder J.D. Martinez was back in the lineup Tuesday against the Mariners.

"Like I said yesterday to you guys, I understood the situation and we talked about it and put it behind us," Martinez said. "We still have a lot more games left to play and it’s behind us and we’re ready to move forward. Today’s a new day."

Martinez has gone 3 for 13 (.231) through six games.

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton continues to work on his plate discipline and has started to show some patience after starting the season hitting .174 through his first seven games.

Stanton told the Palm Beach Post that he saw two pitches that he wanted to hit among the 21 thrown to him Monday against the Braves. He instead drew three walks.

"We got to keep talking to him about it, trying to get him to relax and be patience," manager Mike Redmond said. "That's half the battle. Everybody wants to get hits and get off to a quick start, but at the same time you got to relax and slow the game down, let the game come to you."

Stanton has mustered just four hits and struck out 11 times but has seven walks. He received 46 walks in 123 games last season. Though pitchers continue to work around him, Redmond hopes that the 23-year-old can turn things around soon.

"Somebody is going to make a mistake and he's going to make him pay," Redmond said. "Once he does that that will alleviate any stress."

Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera appears to be rounding into midseason form just eight games into the year. Cabrera, coming off his impressive Triple Crown season, had four hits for the second time in the past three games Monday against Toronto to boost his average to .393.

One of his hits was an opposite-field three-run homer over the fence in right field -- his 100th career homer at Comerica Park.

"I've been on record pretty much for the last five years. To me, he's pretty much the best opposite-field home-run hitter probably in the history of the game," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "I've never seen anything like it, to be honest with you. I truly believe that. I think he's got the best opposite-field power of any player I've ever seen."

Mets first baseman Justin Turner will start Tuesday against the Phillies.

Turner will take on Cliff Lee. Ike Davis has been given a day off against the tough left-hander, and should return to the lineup for the next game. 

Miguel Cabrera hit his first homer of the season and drove in four runs, leading the Tigers past the Blue Jays 7-3 Tuesday. Cabrera's home run was a three-run shot off Brandon Morrow in the fourth inning.

Cabrera was 4 for 5 with three runs and four RBI. It was his second four-hit game since Saturday. He's batting .393 (11 for 28) with one double and 10 RBI in seven games.

Astros outfielder J.D. Martinez was taken out of Monday's game after making a mental error at the plate.

Martinez admitted after the game that he did not follow the club's game strategy, swinging at the first pitch he saw. Martinez has been playing while Fernando Martinez is on the disabled list.