MLB Player News

Rizzo (back) was placed on the 10-day DL on Monday, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

As planned, the Cubs have placed Rizzo on the disabled list so that he can recover from a recent spell of back tightness. It isn't expected that he'll be on the shelf for an extended period of time, as he'll be eligible to return April 16, but a more specific timeframe for his eventual return should be available soon. With Rizzo out, look for Victor Caratini to continue seeing time at first base. The team has yet to announce a corresponding move after sending Rizzo to the DL.

Rizzo (back) is expected to be placed on the disabled list, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

If Rizzo ends up on the DL, he'll be eligible to return April 16 for the Cubs' series opener against the Cardinals, as the move would be retroactive to April 6. Although there hasn't been any indication that Rizzo's bout of back tightness is a serious injury, the club will take a cautious approach with the star first baseman. Until Rizzo is ready to return, expect Victor Caratini to occupy first base for the Cubs.

Cooper (wrist) saw a hand specialist Monday and will be in a cast for a week, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Cooper managed to avoid any fractures in his injured wrist, but it seems as if the hand specialist he saw still wants him to take extra precautions. This new wrinkle means that the earliest Cooper can return to action will be next Monday, a few days after he's first eligible to return. It's unclear if he'll need a few extra days to get back into the swing of things once he gets the cast off, though.

Blandino was recalled from Triple-A Louisville on Monday.

This comes as little surprise, as the infield prospect was lifted from Sunday's Triple-A game almost immediately after Eugenio Suarez was revealed to have a fractured thumb. Blandino hadn't collected a hit with Louisville this season, but he produced an .834 OPS with the Triple-A club in 63 games with them last season. He figures to provide infield depth for Cincinnati while Cliff Pennington moves into regular duty at third base.

Kirilloff is 1-for-8 in his first two games for Low-A Cedar Rapids.

Kirlloff, the 15th overall pick in the 2016 draft, missed the 2017 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He's back to full strength as he played right field on Saturday. He should not be forgotten in dynasty leagues as he still has special offensive potential.

Cabrera went 2-for-4 with a walk, a solo home run and a second run scored in Sunday's extra-inning win over the Nationals.

The switch hitter is having a strong start to 2018, slashing .333/.405/.515 through eight games. He's been bouncing all around the lineup, but with Michael Conforto back in the leadoff spot, Cabrera hit fifth Sunday and will likely remain there for the most part moving forward, providing him with solid run-producing opportunities even once he cools down.

Blandino was removed early from his game Sunday with Triple-A Louisville, suggesting that he'll be recalled Monday by the Reds prior to Cincinnati's series opener in Philadelphia, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic Cincinnati reports.

Blandino's departure came less than an hour after the Reds announced that everyday third baseman Eugenio Suarez suffered a fractured right thumb when Suarez was struck by a fastball from the Pirates' Jameson Taillon earlier Sunday. Cliff Pennington substituted in at third base in the bottom of the fourth inning and is expected to vie for starts at the hot corner with Blandino and fellow reserve infielder Phil Gosselin for the duration of Suarez's absence, which is expected to last multiple weeks. As a result, Blandino won't necessarily be in store for consistent at-bats in the wake of his callup, but he should at least get the opportunity to stake his claim to a regular role. The 25-year-old slashed .265/.382/.453 with 12 home runs and 51 RBI while splitting time between Louisville and Double-A Pensacola last season.

Rizzo (back) is again not in the lineup Monday against the Pirates.

Rizzo has been out of the lineup since Friday while dealing with back tightness. The issue isn't thought to be a major one, but he'll now have missed four games. The Cubs have an off day Tuesday and it sounds as though Rizzo may be back in the lineup Wednesday against Pittsburgh. Ben Zobrist starts at first base in his place Monday.

Goldschmidt went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Cardinals.

Thanks to strong performances from its pitching staff and more unheralded players in the lineup, Arizona has raced off to a 7-2 start to the season despite getting very little from Goldschmidt, a five-time All-Star. Sunday's hitless showing dropped Goldschmidt's season average to .100, with the first baseman's contact woes fueling his demise. Goldschmidt has struck out in 26.8 percent of his plate appearances this season, nearly five points above his career rate.

Cron went 1-for-4 with a home run and a walk in Sunday's 8-7 loss to the Red Sox.

Although he managed to slug a home run, Cron has struggled so far this season, as he entered Sunday's game with a dismal .167 batting average. Although most of Cron's starts this year have been as designated hitter, he will likely be in line to receive reps at first base with Brad Miller (groin) landing on the disabled list.