MLB Player News

Second baseman Wilmer Flores must love the California air, as he had another impressive outing Sunday as the Mets rolled to an 8-0 victory over the Dodgers. 

Flores, hitting fourth in the lineup, was 4-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs and a run scored. For the three-game series, Flores was 10-for-13 with five RBIs, helping to raise his average from .233 to .258. 

In the prior seven games before the Mets played the Dodgers, Flores was 4-for-27. 

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo was not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins, reports MLB.com.

Rizzo was replaced at first by Mike Baxter, who will bat seventh. Rizzo is hitting .107 with one double and two RBI in his last eight games.

The Cubs are favored (-140) over the Marlins on Sunday.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard has been slumping lately and struggling all year against left-handers. The result is that he is out of the lineup Saturday against Atlanta southpaw Alex Wood.

Howard has just two hits in his last 21 at-bats in dropping his average from .231 to .221. He is batting just .131 (8-for-61) against lefties this season.

Mets second baseman Wilmer Flores went 3 for 4 in Friday's win over the Dodgers. 

Flores was 1 for 14 in his previous four games. He broke out of the mini slump with his first three-hit game of the season. 

Flores tied the game with an RBI single in the fourth inning and set up the winning run with a ninth-inning single. 

The home run tear of Marlins first baseman Justin Bour continued Friday against the host Cubs. He blasted one in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie and give his team a victory.

Bour has gone yard once in each of the last four games to give him 10 on the season. Five of his last seven hits have gone the distance.

"To homer in any park is cool," said Bour, per MLB.com. "But it is very nice that it came at an opportunity to help us win the game."

He was the only player in the game, however, to total two hits.

Marlins first baseman Justin Bour hit a home run for the third-straight game during Thursday's 5-4 win over the Giants.

The three-run shot came off Matt Cain in the fifth inning. It was his only hit in three at-bats. He also walked once.

Prior to Thursday's win, Bour had been hitting .207 with three home runs and six RBI in his last nine games.

"That was a situation where the guys in front of me did a great job of getting on base," Bour said, per MLB.com. "I'm not really looking to hit a home run in that situation. I'm looking to get the next guy up and fortunately it went out for me."

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said he will not return from a wrist injury until after the All-Star break. He is hoping to continue rehabbing during the mid-July break and return shortly after.

Marlins first baseman Justin Bour hit a three-run home run to lift his team past the Giants on Wednesday.

Bour hit the walk-off blast with two runners on base and no outs in the ninth inning off Giants relief pitcher Santiago Casilla. He finished the game 2 for 4 with three RBI.

The multi-hit performance was much needed for Bour, who was hitting merely .182 with eight hits and 12 strikeouts over his last 15 games.

Marlins first baseman Justin Bour hit his seventh home run of the season in Tuesday night's 5-3 win over the Giants. 

Bour's homer was of the solo variety and he ended the game 1 for 4 from the plate. Bour had been in mired in a bit of a slump as he'd hit .194 in his previous 10 games. Bour now has a slash line of .254/.331/.454. 

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (wrist) will not be ready to come off the 15-day disabled list when eligible Friday, manager Fredi Gonzalez told reporters Tuesday.

"[Freeman] plays every single day, he's frustrated," Gonzalez said, per MLB.com. "He wants to get back on the field, but he understands this might take a little more time."

Gonzalez said Freeman's wrist is not improving and the team is trying some other therapy to help with the recovery.

The Braves are still hopeful Freeman will return before the All-Star break.