MLB Player News

Freeman went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Thursday against the Marlins.

Freeman took Ryne Stanek deep in the eighth inning to record his 34th home run of the season, while also knotting the game at 2-2. He's gone an uncharacteristic 6-for-31 across his last eight contests, though he continues to provide plenty of pop as he's smacked five homers in that span. For the season, Freeman has maintained a strong .304/.395/.575 line across 570 plate appearances.

Cooper is not in Thursday's lineup against the Braves, Andre Fernandez of The Athletic reports.

He will sit for a second game in a row, with Neil Walker getting another start at first base while hitting cleanup. Prior to these two days off, Cooper had started 12 of 13 games. He is hitting .246 with one home run in 61 at-bats this month.

Rizzo went 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and three runs Wednesday in the Cubs' 12-11 win over the Giants.

Rizzo notched an extra-base hit for the third game in a row and benefited from being in the heart of the order on a night in which the Cubs exploded for their most runs of the second half. While baseball's power-happy environment in 2019 hasn't dramatically elevated Rizzo's production, his .290 average and 25 home runs, 80 RBI and 80 runs just over three quarters through the season is roughly on par with what his fantasy managers probably expected on draft day.

Cabrera went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 11-1 win over the Pirates.

It's his 14th homer of the season and second as a Nat, and both have come within the last three games. Cabrera's now 12-for-37 (.324) since coming over from the Rangers, but his .244/.329/.417 slash line on the year offers a better reflection of his fantasy potential.

Cooper is not in Wednesday's lineup against the Braves, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

He is hitting .250 with one home run and 20 strikeouts in 60 at-bats this month. Neil Walker will start at first base and bat cleanup.

Walker is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Rockies.

Walker has started nine of the past 10 games, slashing .216/.275/.378 with two home runs during that stretch. Jake Lamb is covering first base in his stead Wednesday.

Votto (back) could return from the injured list when first eligible Sunday, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Votto landed on the IL over the weekend with a lower-back strain, but it sounds like his stay on the shelf could be a brief one. Prior to suffering the injury, the veteran first baseman compiled a .262/.353/.410 slash line with 12 home runs and four stolen bases in 113 games.

Freeman went 3-for-4 with two home runs, three runs scored and four RBI in Tuesday's 5-1 win over the Marlins.

Freeman drove in four runs for the third time this season, bringing his season total to 102 RBI, which leads the National League. The 29-year-old has a .318/.408/.697 slash line with eight home runs and 20 RBI through only 18 games in August.

Rizzo went 3-for-3 with a walk, two solo home runs and three runs scored in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Giants.

Rizzo hit his 24th home run of the season in the first inning off San Francisco starter Tyler Beede, then launched No. 25 against Beede again two innings later. The 30-year-old first baseman has now reached the 25-home-run plateau in each of the last six seasons as he continues to produce at an elite level for the Cubs.

Naylor went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk Tuesday against the Reds.

Naylor took Sonny Gray deep in the sixth inning to record his seventh home run of the season. He has taken over the majority of playing time in left field over Wil Myers, starting each of the team's last five games. Naylor has hit well in that span, smacking three extra-base hits, driving in three and scoring three runs. He's seen his slash line improve to .253/.322/.442 across 171 plate appearances this season.