MLB Player News

Flores is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against San Diego.

Flores went 2-for-11 with a double as he started the first three games of the series, but he will take a seat for the finale. Ildemaro Vargas will start at the keystone and bat second while Ketel Marte is in center field.

Rizzo won't play Sunday against the Angels with the contest being postponed due to inclement weather in Chicago, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

A makeup date for the interleague game has yet to be announced. Rizzo and the Cubs will be back in action Monday, when the team kicks off a three-game series in Miami.

Bell went 1-for-4 with a solo homer in a 6-3 victory over the Nationals on Friday.

The 26-year-old is off to a nice start, slashing .295/.373/.568 with three homers, 10 RBI and six runs in 44 at-bats. That's certainly encouraging after last season's disappointment. Bell hit .261 with only 12 homers and 62 RBI in 2018.

Rizzo went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in a 5-1 victory over the Angels on Friday.

That bomb gives Rizzo 10 RBI and 10 runs this season, but he's off to a slow start in just about every other category. He's only 10-for-49 (.204) with three homers and a .408 slugging percentage this season. Rizzo hit .149 in the first month last season too and ended the year with a .283 average and 25 homers. With that in mind, it's far too early to panic over the Cubs first baseman.

Alonso is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Braves, Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Alonso has started the last seven games at first base and slashed .370/.452/1.037 in that stretch with five home runs, but nonetheless takes a seat on the bench Friday. Dominic Smith will grab his second start of the season at first base and bat sixth in his absence.

Alonso went 2-for-4 with a walk and two-run home run Thursday against the Braves.

Alonso took a Jonny Venters offering deep to straightaway center field in the seventh inning. It was his sixth homer of the season and fifth in as many games. The rookie has impressed through 51 plate appearances, hitting .378/.451/.911.

Walker is on the bench Thursday against the Padres.

Walker had started eight straight but had clearly cooled off after a hot start. In his last six games, he's hit .091 with a 43.5 percent strikeout rate. Wilmer Flores gets the start at first base.

Walker struck out in all four of his plate appearances Wednesday in the Diamondbacks' 5-2 loss to the Rangers.

Walker slugged three home runs in the Diamondbacks' first five games to put himself on the fantasy radar, then saw his outlook improve after his platoon mate at first base, Jake Lamb (quadriceps), landed on the injured list. Unfortunately, Walker hasn't been able to take advantage since seizing an everyday role, managing only two hits in his last 22 at-bats while striking out 10 times. The contact woes are likely to remain an issue for Walker, so if he's unable to supply power on a consistent basis, the Diamondbacks could elect to give Wilmer Flores a spin at first base. Flores has acted as the Diamondbacks' primary second baseman but isn't a great defensive fit at the position.

Bell went 2-for-4 with an RBI single against the Cubs on Wednesday.

He's batting .391 in 24 at-bats over his last six games, with three doubles and a pair of home runs. Bell hit only two homers in his first 155 plate appearances last year. He bounced around the batting order for the second half of 2018 but has batted fourth in the lineup for every game in April thus far.

Flores is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Rangers.

Flores will head to the bench for the second time in three games as Ketel Marte picks up a start at the keystone against right-hander Lance Lynn. Through eight games this season, Flores is hitting just .222/.276/.296 with two doubles and a 2:3 BB:K.