MLB Player News

Astros first baseman/outfielder Chris Carter has struggled during the first week of the season.

Carter was touted as a sleeper due to his prestigious power potential. Playing in Houston, where the left-field fence is short, was supposed to help him in that area. Carter clubbed 16 home runs in just 260 plate appearances in Oakland last season. 

Not surprisingly, strikeouts have been an issue. Carter owns a career 33.3 percent strikeout rate in the majors, and has 13 strikeouts in 27 plate appearances already this season. 

Indians catcher Carlos Santana, who suffered a bruised left thumb during Monday's game against the Yankees and had to be taken for X-rays, was rewarded with positive news, reports MLB.com. Santana did not break the thumb. 

The X-rays came back negative and Santana is considered day-to-day. 

Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera had a base hit Monday in the home opener for Cleveland against the Yankees. He scored a run in the 11-6 loss. 

Cabrera's had a nightmarish start to the season, hitting .083 over his first six full games before Monday. After going 1 for 3 against N.Y., he's hitting a robust .111. 

Cabrera, who also had an error Monday, is 3 for 27 with a home run, two RBI and seven strikeouts.

Indians catcher Carlos Santana suffered a scary injury Monday in the home-opening loss to the Yankees. Santana was crossed up on a Chris Perez fastball and took it flush off the wrist of his glove hand. 

He went down in pain as Vernon Wells took third base on the passed ball. Santana was diagnosed with a left thumb contusion but needs X-rays to determine the severity, according to MLB.com. He was replaced by Lou Marson. 

Santana was 1 for 2 with two walks before leaving and is batting .500 with a hit in six of his seven games, including two homers and five RBI. 

Angels Triple-A outfielder Kole Calhoun suffered a fractured hamate bone in his right hand during Thursday's game. He is expected to be out for four-to-six weeks, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Indians catcher Carlos Santana picked up his first home run of the season as part of a three-hit performance in his team's 10-8 loss to the Blue Jays Thursday night. He finished just a triple short of the cycle.

Santana is hitting .462/.500/.846 in 14 plate appearances through his first three games of 2013. His Indians will face the Rays in Tampa this weekend.

Astros first baseman/outfielder Chris Carter had another quiet night at the plate on Tuesday against the Rangers. He went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts in the 7-0 loss.

Carter is 0 for 7 with four strikeouts through two games.

The Indians got a strong performance from the pitching staff in Tuesday's opener against the Blue Jays, so they only needed one hit on offense. Asdrubal Cabrera provided it.

Cabrera, the team's starting shortstop on opening day for the fourth year in a row, slugged a two-run home run in the fifth inning off Jays' starter R.A. Dickey. That lone swing was enough to lead the Indians to a 4-1 win. He finished the game 1 for 4 with a walk. 

Cabrera is coming off consecutive All-Star game appearances and should be a fixture in the top of the team's lineup during the season. 

The Angels have optioned infielder Luis Jimenez, right-hander David Carpenter, catcher John Hester and outfielder Kole Calhoun to Triple-A Salt Lake Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera removed any lingering doubt about his back by returning to the starting lineup for Saturday's spring finale against Cincinnati. Cabrera has not appeared in a Cactus League game since March 22 in order to rest after suffering back spasms while taking swings in a batting cage.

"Yeah, he's fine," manager Terry Francona told MLB.com. "I don't think there was ever a concern about him getting ready to play. It was just getting him enough at-bats where he could shake some rust off."