Player Notes

Michael Brantley went 3-for-5 with three RBI in the Indians' loss to the Tigers on Wednesday.
Advice: Brantley did all his damage with three singles, bringing his RBI count to 24 and his batting average to .309 in the process. And the left fielder is 7-for-16 (.438) in his last four games with nine RBI in those 16 at-bats. The 26-year-old is well on his way to an encore of a 2012 season in which he hit .288 with 37 doubles.

Mike Adams (back) is scheduled to make an appearance in a minor league rehab game Monday.
Advice: That means that he won't return to the Phillies' bullpen until Tuesday night, at the earliest. Adams has been sidelined since May 11 with a right back strain.
More: Philadelphia Daily News

Red Sox GM Ben Cherington confirmed Thursday that he has not engaged in long-term talks with Jacoby Ellsbury.
Advice: "Because Ellsbury has gone through arbitration the last three years, there's been an opportunity to talk to [agent Scott Boras] and Jacoby each of those years in the winter before spring training or early in spring training about his status," said Cherington. "And each of those years we've signed a one-year deal." Ellsbury, 29, is set to become a free agent after the 2013 season. He has a disappointing .673 OPS since the start of the 2012 campaign.
More: WEEI.com

Giancarlo Stanton took live batting practice Wednesday for the first time since straining his right hamstring.
Advice: "He looked good," manager Mike Redmond said afterward. "I'm just going off the results. He was hitting them out. It's another encouraging sign that he's a little closer to being back on the field." Stanton has been on the disabled list since April 30 and is still without a timetable. The best guess is that he's activated around mid-June.
More: Miami Herald

Logan Morrison (knee) will shift his rehab assignment to Double-A Jacksonville on Monday.
Advice: Morrison has spent the past week with the High-A Jupiter Hammerheads, collecting three hits and one RBI in 13 at-bats. He's working his way back from September surgery to repair a torn patella tendon in his right knee and is currently aiming to join the Marlins in early June. NL-only leaguers might want to stash him now.
More: Miami Herald

Matt Dominguez (quad) is expected to return to the Astros' starting lineup on Friday evening.
Advice: Dominguez sat out Wednesday and will also use Thursday's scheduled team off day to rest his tight left quad. "I'm starting to figure certain things out at the plate, and I like to play," said the third baseman, "but it's better to take the two days off now than risking weeks when it's something that can be treated pretty easily."
More: Houston Chronicle

Tyler Lyons earned a win in his major league debut after allowing one run and four hits in seven innings Wednesday against the Padres.
Advice: Lyons struck out four and walked just one. He needed a mere 81 pitches to get through seven before turning the ball over to Trevor Rosenthal. Lyons doesn't have the best of stuff, but he's a strike-thrower with a very good team behind him, something that might give him a little value in NL-only leagues. He'll get the Royals in Kansas City next.

Joe Mahoney (hamstring) is expected to begin playing in rehab games Sunday at Triple-A New Orleans.
Advice: Mahoney was placed on the disabled list April 28 with a right hamstring strain. He'll beat Logan Morrison (knee) back to the Marlins' active roster but will probably be sent back to Triple-A when LoMo is deemed fully healthy. Mahoney, 26, carries no fantasy value.
More: Miami Herald

Athletics activated SS Hiroyuki Nakajima from the 15-day disabled list; optioned him to Triple-A Sacramento.
Advice: Nakajima is still working his way back from a hamstring injury he suffered late in spring training. His 20-day rehab window expired on Wednesday, so the Athletics are keeping him in the minors.

Padres optioned RHP Burch Smith to Triple-A Tucson.
Advice: Smith was sent down after he lasted just one-plus inning in a loss Wednesday to the Cardinals. The 23-year-old struggled with an 18.41 ERA in his first three major league starts. Smith opened the season with Double-A San Antonio, but the Padres are hoping he can turn things around the Triple-A level.

Chris Davis went 4-for-4 with his 14th home run Wednesday, and the Orioles beat the Yankees 6-3.
Advice: Davis continues to tear the cover off the baseball, now hitting .329/.420/.690 through 45 games this season. He is tied with Justin Upton for the league lead in home runs, and he trails only Miguel Cabrera in RBI. Davis is showing that his breakout 2012 was legit.