MLB Player News

Rivas is not in the starting lineup for Friday's contest against the Red Sox.

Rivas will be on the bench for a second consecutive game after he had started the previous five. P.J. Higgins will draw another start at first base and bat seventh in the series opener. With Frank Schwindel (back) still on the 10-day injured list without a timetable for his return, Rivas and Higgins will likely continue splitting time at first base.

Votto went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in a loss to the Cubs on Thursday.

Votto's fourth-inning infield single led to Cincinnati's first run as a result of a Chicago error. The veteran first baseman then went deep in the sixth frame for his sixth long ball of the campaign. After a brutal start to the season, Votto perked up at the plate in June, slashing .274/.361/.495 with four homers, 15 RBI and 14 runs over 26 games.

Higgins went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Thursday's 15-7 victory versus the Reds.

The Cubs' offense exploded for 23 hits in the contest, and Higgins was one of four players to collect at least three base knocks. His final hit in the blowout win was an eighth-inning, two-run homer. The long ball was his first in June and third of his career. This was also his first career three-hit performance.

Hall went 2-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI on Thursday against Atlanta.

Hall was recalled to make his major-league debut Wednesday and has been in the lineup as the team's cleanup hitter in both games since. He contributed to the Phillies' offensive outburst with a leadoff home run in the fourth inning to tally both his first big-league hit and homer. He followed that up with a two-run shot off Mike Ford in the eighth frame. Hall maintained a .894 OPS across 315 plate appearances with Triple-A Lehigh Valley prior to being recalled, and he appears to have a clear path to playing time with Bryce Harper (thumb) sidelined.

Voit isn't starting Thursday against the Dodgers.

Voit is getting a breather after he went 3-for-17 with a run, an RBI, a walk and seven strikeouts over the last five games. Manny Machado (ankle) is serving as the designated hitter and batting second Thursday.

Batten's contract was selected from Triple-A El Paso on Thursday.

The 27-year-old has spent most of the last three seasons in El Paso and will join the major-league roster for the first time to provide infield depth after Sergio Alcantara was designated for assignment. Batten has slashed .299/.399/.504 with 10 homers, 10 runs, 31 RBI and 13 stolen bases over 59 games with the Triple-A club this year.

Rivas isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against Cincinnati, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Rivas started in the last five games and went 4-for-18 with two runs, two RBI, a stolen base, a walk and five strikeouts during that span. P.J. Higgins is starting at first base and batting seventh Thursday.

Freeman went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a walk and an additional run scored in an 8-4 victory versus the Rockies on Wednesday.

Fresh off being named the National League Player of the Week, Freeman continued his torrid stretch at the plate with a first-inning, 446-foot solo homer and a fifth-inning single. He extended his current hitting streak to 13 games, during which he is batting .407 (22-for-54) with four homers, 13 RBI and a pair of stolen bases. The power surge is particularly satisfying for fantasy managers who roster him after Freeman began the campaign with just five long balls over his first 64 contests.

Bell went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two walks and two runs scored Wednesday against the Pirates.

Bell reached base in all of his plate appearances, highlighted by a pair of extra-base hits. He's riding an eight-game hitting streak and has at least one knock in 11 of his last 12 starts. That's continued an impressive season for Bell, as he's maintained a .319 average with 11 home runs, 42 runs scored and 46 RBI across 323 plate appearances.

Hoskins went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a double in Wednesday's 4-1 loss to Atlanta.

Hoskins accounted for half of the Phillies' hits and their lone run in the game, which came on his third-inning solo shot. The first baseman had gone two weeks without a multi-hit game, and his last homer was on June 14. He's still been a fairly tough out lately -- he's batting .233 (10-for-43) with nine walks in his last 13 contests. Overall, he's slashing .250/.341/.468 with 14 long balls, 38 RBI, 39 runs scored and 15 doubles through 75 games.