MLB Player News

Rizzo entered Wednesday's Cactus League action slashing .303/.395/.515 with two home runs and seven RBI through 14 games.

Rizzo has been the model of consistency in Chicago, as he enters 2019 with four straight seasons with at least 100 RBI. The 29-year-old also had an OPS of at least .846 with at least 25 home runs in each of those campaigns. Those low-water marks actually came last season, representing a down season by Rizzo's lofty standards but still great production for fantasy owners.

The Twins will start breaking Kirilloff in at first base this season, Twins Daily reports.

This makes all the sense in the world, as Kirilloff has filled out since his days as an amateur and the Twins have a crowded outfield already, without factoring in last year's first-round pick Trevor Larnach, who is a corner outfielder/designated hitter and on the fast track to the majors. A move to first base does not negatively impact Kirilloff's fantasy stock.

Hiura will open the season at Triple-A San Antonio, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Hiura will still travel with the Brewers as the team continues its exhibition slate, but he's been told he won't make the Opening Day roster. That's hardly a surprise, as he's yet to reach Triple-A, but if his strong performances as a prospect suggest he'll have a chance to make an impact at the top level at some point this season.

Manager Gabe Kapler said that Hoskins is dealing with mild shoulder soreness and will be held out of the Phillies' Grapefruit League lineups until at least Friday's game against the Yankees, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

It's not ideal that Hoskins is hurting with Opening Day just over a week away, but Kapler noted that the slugger is merely being rested for precautionary purposes. At this juncture, the Phillies aren't concerned about Hoskins' availability for the start of the season, though Maikel Franco would be next in line for reps at first base in the event the 26-year-old doesn't progress as quickly as anticipated.

Abreu started at designated hitter and went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in Tuesday's game against the Reds.

Abreu is cruising through the Cactus League with a .333 average (15-for-45) to go along with his four home runs and 14 RBI over 15 games. The 32-year-old is coming off MLB-career lows in games (128), homers (22) and RBI (78) in 2018, and the White Sox hope to coax more at-bats and production out of him this season by giving Abreu more starts as the designated hitter.

Cabrera went 1-for-3 with a walk against the Dodgers on Monday and is hitting .387 (12-for-31) over 13 spring games.

Cabrera, who batted out of the five hole Monday, has been a constant presence in the middle of Texas' order during Cactus League games. The Rangers feel confident in his ability to handle the transition to being the everyday third baseman. A sign of that was when they sent Patrick Wisdom to Triple-A Nashville earlier this week. At some point, the 33-year-old may slow down, but he's played no fewer than 135 games (540 plate appearances) since 2011.

Voit went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and two strikeouts Monday against the Braves.

Voit took Bryse Wilson deep for his fourth homer of the spring in the second inning. Voit continues to hit well, going 10-for-34 and slugging .676 in Grapefruit League action. Though he has been locked in a battle with Greg Bird to be the Yankees' starting first baseman, Aaron Hicks' (shoulder) injury will likely give both Bird and Voit the chance to break camp on the big-league roster.

Goldschmidt went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run Monday against the Phillies.

Goldschmidt launched an offering from Zach Eflin over the left-field wall in the bottom of the fifth inning to record his first home run of spring training with his new club. The long ball was his third extra-base hit, and he is now 10-for-36 with seven walks in Grapefruit League action.

Votto is hitting only .100/.438/.100 in 20 spring training at-bats so far. He doesn't have an extra-base hit yet, but has drawn 12 walks.

It's one of the stranger spring training lines so far, but it comes with the caveat that it's been with a tiny sample, and at a time where Votto has been toying with his swing. It might raise a concern only because Votto is coming off a year where he didn't hit for power, but he's also traditionally a slow starter. There hasn't been any reported injuries this spring.

Hoskins is hitting a modest .235/.333/.353 through 13 spring games.

Hoskins' role as the Phillies' everyday first baseman won't be threatened by a slight spring slump. In their three games in the lineup together, new signee Bryce Harper has hit third, with Hoskins batting cleanup. Hoskins should enjoy an improved lineup around him this season, with three new bats (Andrew McCutchen, Jean Segura and Harper) hitting in front of him and plenty of protection behind him in the form of J.T. Realmuto. He'll also no longer have to deal with the distraction of learning left field.