MLB Player News

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen said in the offseason he wanted to focus on being more productive on the base paths in 2013. Thus far, McCutchen is succeeding as he is 2 for 2 on stolen-base attempts through two games.

"Small sample, but very encouraging to see," manager Clint Hurdle said of McCutchen pushing the envelope on the bases, per MLB.com. "Actions speak louder than words. In the winter, we talk about a lot of things, and his intent is to make the words jump off the paper and become real."

Cleveland outfielder Michael Brantley tied his career high for hits with four on Wednesday night in a 3-2 win at Toronto. Brantley also drove in his first run of the season for the Tribe. 

Brantley went 4 for 5 with four singles, an RBI and a run scored in the 3-2 win extra-inning win. He's batting .714 thus far on the year after two games as he's gone 5 for 7 with two runs scored, an RBI and two walks for the Indians. 

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen drove in his first run of the 2013 campaign Wednesday night against the Cubs.

He doubled home Garrett Jones in the fourth inning and came around to score on Starlin Castro's fielding error.

McCutchen finished 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base in the 3-0 win.

The 26-year-old has gone 2 for 6 (.333) through the first two games with two runs scored and two stolen bases.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt was out of the lineup for the second straight game on Wednesday against the Dodgers as he continued to deal with an illness. Buster Posey played first base in his absence with Hector Sanchez getting the start behind the plate.

Belt went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts on opening day after batting .343 with a .596 slugging percentage during spring training.

Marlins vice president of player development Marty Scott said outfield prospect Marcell Ozuna might be out three more weeks while he recovers from a fractured left wrist, according to MLB.com. Ozuna sustained the injury crashing into a fence in late March.

Ozuna is expected to open the season at Double-A Jacksonville when he's recovered from his wrist injury.

The Athletics have gotten off to a slow start this season, but outfielder Yoenis Cespedes tried to kick start things Tuesday against the Mariners.

Cespedes slugged his first home run of the season, a deep shot to center field off Mariners starter Hisashi Iwakuma in the second inning. That was his lone positive contribution, as he finished 1 for 4 with three strikeouts. Cespedes is just 1 for 8 this season. 

Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter flashed his extra-base power for the second game in a row to open the season Tuesday against the Diamondbacks.

Carpenter slugged a pair of doubles in the game to give him three through the season's first two games. He finished the game 2 for 5 with one run scored, in a 6-1 victory. 

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley got off to a fast start Tuesday in the team's season opener against the Blue Jays.

Brantley, batting fifth and playing left field, went 1 for 2 in the game, and did a solid job getting on base with a pair of walks. He scored one run in the game, while striking out once. The Indians won, 4-1.

Brantley is coming off a breakout season when he batted a career-high .288 with 47 extra-base hits. 

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt missed Tuesday's game against the Dodgers due to an illness, reports the San Jose Mercury News. Belt is day to day. 

The slugger, who went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts Monday against the Dodgers in the opener, received IV fluids before the game and played through the illness but took Tuesday off. 

San Francisco expects Belt to return Wednesday against Josh Beckett. 

The Cubs announced Tuesday outfield prospect Jorge Soler will begin the 2013 season at Class A Daytona, according to MLB.com. 

Soler, who is considered the team's third-best prospect by Baseball America and MLB.com, hit .222 with one homer, one triple, one double and three RBI in 17 spring games. Soler has a minor-league slash line of .299/.369/.463/.832 in 34 games. He also has five homers, seven doubles and 25 RBI.