MLB Player News

After a day off Saturday, Chris Carter is back in the lineup at first base for the Astros in Sunday's series-finale against the Blue Jays. 

Carter began the year in a slump but has hit .323 over his past 10 games. For the season, he's hitting .200. 

First baseman Carlos Santana came through with the biggest hit of the afternoon, as the Indians downed the Orioles 2-1 on Saturday. With the scored tied at one, Santana laced a run-scoring double in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the lead. 

It was Santana's only hit of the season, but it was just what the Indians needed to secure the victory. Santana has now hit safely in 10 of his last 12 games, batting .302 with two home runs over that stretch.

Angels designated hitter C.J. Cron, who faltered in May after a decent beginning of the season as a starter, is back in the majors.

Cron was promoted Saturday from Triple-A Salt Lake City, where he batted .333 with two home runs. A 6-for-47 slide that lowered his average from .275 to .204 prompted his demotion.

It's expected that Cron will get a chance to improve against right-handed pitching this time around.

"The game plan for C.J. was to get a lot of at-bats this year, not just be strictly platoon," Manager Mike Scioscia said, per the Orange County Register. "If it works out where he’s swinging it well and he’s hitting right-handers too and he matches up well, he’ll get more at-bats. If you want to play more, play better. If C.J. plays well he’ll earn at-bats for sure."

Prior to his demotion, Cron recorded just nine hits in 61 at-bats against right-handers.

A.J. Hinch has made good on his promise to give Astros first baseman Chris Carter a rest. He is out of the lineup Saturday in Toronto.

Carter is certainly not sitting due to performance. His 0-for-3 effort Friday ended a 12-game hitting streak in which he lifted his batting average from .157 to .206.

Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun went 3 for 4 with a walk in Friday's loss to the Yankees. 

Calhoun scored twice and drove in his 25th run of the season. 

Blue Jays left fielder Chris Colabello extended his hitting streak to 15 games, with a 3-for-4 night in Friday's win over Houston. 

Colabello doubled, his eighth of the year, drove in a run, his 17th, and scored. 

With the Astros about to embark on a six-game road-trip that begins Friday, manager A.J. Hinch indicated that he will look to get some of his regulars a day off in the coming days.

"Giving some of our everyday players a rest here sometimes by the end of the road trip," Hinch said, per the Houston Chronicle. "We have 20 games in 20 days after this off-day next Thursday. A lot of it is against our division, so I want to keep guys feeling fresh."

Hinch specifies that right fielder George Springer and first baseman Chris Carter are likely to get a rest.

"That might mean Springer or Carter, some guys that haven’t had days off. They might get a rest day here or there. We’ll see how it goes," said Hinch.

The team is in the midst of 13 straight games without an off-day. Carter hasn't had a day off since May 2, and Springer has started all 23 games since returning from a stint on the 7-day DL due to a concussion. 

Astros first baseman Chris Carter pushed his hitting streak to 12 games with a 1-for-4 effort on Thursday. Carter's lone hit was a double in the fourth inning, but he was stranded. Carter also struck out three times int he 3-2 loss to the Orioles.

The power-hitting Carter is batting .375 (15 for 40) during his hit streak, including three home runs and three two-baggers. He's also struck out 16 times in the 12-game span. 

White Sox designated hitter Jose Abreu went 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBI in his team's 9-2 win over the Rangers on Wednesday.

Abreu has missed time this week while dealing with a finger injury, but he was none the worse for wear on Wednesday, knocking a two-run homer to cap a six-run second inning and coming back with an RBI single in the fourth. He could be in for more time as the designated hitter as he continues to recover from the injury, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

"Just to make sure throwing wise, the finger that it’s on is on his throwing hand," manager Robin Ventura said. "We want to make sure that if something does happen … we wouldn’t have to do the thing we did the other day, where we had Flow [Tyler Flowers] going to first base. DH is the safest spot [for Abreu] and having LaRoche over at first. If something happens, we can adjust."

Abreu has hit .286/.343/.497 with nine home runs and 32 RBI in 185 at-bats.

Astros first baseman Chris Carter went 2 for 3 with a pair of solo home runs in his team's 3-1 win over the Orioles on Wednesday.

Carter put his team on the board with a second-inning home run, then retook the lead with another home run in the fifth. With the home runs, Carter has now put together an 11-game hitting streak. The big night upped his line to .205/.311/.398 with 10 home runs and 29 RBI in 176 at-bats.