MLB Player News

Diaz went 1-for-2 with an RBI on a sacrifice foul ball, a walk and a run in a win over the Orioles on Tuesday.

After a hot start to the season, Diaz's bat has cooled off considerably. The 27-year-old is just 2-for-16 over the last five games, but his sharp eye at the plate has helped keep him on the bases (six walks over that span). Diaz sports an impressive .373 on-base percentage over his first 67 plate appearances, a figure that could be mostly sustained over the long term if his body of work in past various minor- and major-league stops is any indication.

Smith is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.

Despite making the Opening Day roster, Smith has started in just two of the Mets' first 18 games of the season. Smith was always going to have a tough time finding playing time after top prospect Pete Alonso broke camp with the big club, and it's difficult to imagine Smith's prospects improving unless the much-hyped rookie succumbs to an injury or experiences a prolonged slump.

Hoskins (ankle) will start at first base and bat cleanup Wednesday against the Mets.

While Hoskins was sitting out Tuesday with a minor left ankle sprain, the Phillies offense didn't miss a beat, finishing the night with a season-high 14 runs on 13 hits and three walks. Despite that successful showing, the Phillies will gladly welcome back the slugger into the lineup after the ankle issue apparently provided no significant complications for him in the field or while running the bases during his pregame workout.

Olson (hand) took two-handed wings with a fungo bat before Tuesday's game, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

It was a fairly significant step forward in Olson's recovery from hand surgery, as it marked the first time he's taken swings of any kind since the March 22 procedure. Olson will now progress to taking swings with a regular bat off a tee, and his ongoing progress is keeping his boss optimistic. "I think we're right on schedule with him," manager Bob Melvin said. "I know he's pretty eager to face some pitching but it's going to be a little more time before we do that."

Walker went 3-for-4 with a walk, a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Tuesday's 9-6 win over Atlanta.

The 28-year-old led off the ninth inning with a solo shot off A.J. Minter, breaking a 6-6 tie and sending Arizona to its eighth win of the year. Walker is now slashing .294/.368/.667 through 16 games with five homers, nine RBI and 10 runs, including six hits and two long balls in the last two games. He's already showing signs of being streaky, going 0-for-10 with seven whiffs in the four games prior to those home runs, but with Jake Lamb (quad) sidelined, the starting first base job is Walker's for the taking.

Cabrera went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk Tuesday against the Angels.

Cabrera took Jaime Barria deep in the fourth inning for his sixth home run of the season. His power production has benefited from the friendly confines of Globe Life Park, with all six of his homers coming at home. He's done little else at the plate, as half of his total hits on the season have gone over the fence.

Votto is batting leadoff in Tuesday's game against the Dodgers and Kenta Maeda, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Votto has batted leadoff only one other time in his career, which is pretty weird when you think about his career-long strong on-base skills. He's off to a slow start this season, hitting .240/.333/.400 in 57 plate appearances.

Hoskins is battling a left ankle sprain but could be available to pinch hit Tuesday night, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Hoskins is reportedly dealing with a minor left ankle sprain, per Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic, although he fully expects to return to the starting lineup in time for Wednesday's clash. It's possible he's called upon to pinch hit at some point Tuesday night. His availability will likely hinge on how the ankle is feeling before the game.

Hoskins is not in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mets.

Hoskins will get a breather after taking the collar (0-for-5) in Monday's series opener. In his absence, Maikel Franco moves over to first base, allowing for Scott Kingery to start at the hot corner.

Bour is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rangers.

With lefty Mike Minor on the bump for Texas, the lefty-swinging Bour finds himself on the bench for the second straight day. With a .171/.275/.286 line against right-handed pitching this season, Bour isn't exactly capitalizing on the platoon advantage, so he may first need to find more success in those matchups before getting increased exposure to lefties.