MLB Player News

Diaz will bat cleanup and serve as the Indians' designated hitter in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader with the Yankees.

He'll serve as a direct replacement in the lineup for Edwin Encarnacion, who will be rested for the matinee after struggling at the plate for the past two weeks. Encarnacion should be back in the starting nine for the nightcap, but Diaz will carry some appeal in DFS contests for the early game due to the favorable slotting in the order between Jose Ramirez and Jay Bruce. The right-handed Diaz will also get a cushy matchup against a struggling lefty Jaime Garcia, who has turned in a 5.95 ERA and 1.78 WHIP over his four starts since joining the Yankees.

Cabrera went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, a run scored and two RBI in Tuesday's loss to the Reds.

He's now 6-for-15 over his last four starts with a homer and six RBI. It doesn't look like Cabrera will be joining a playoff contender on a waiver deal, but the veteran could still be reduced to a utility role on the rebuilding Mets in September if the club elects to give Gavin Cecchini more time at second base.

Cron went 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs and four RBI in an 8-2 win over Oakland on Tuesday.

Cron is slashing a healthy .310/.381/.609 with seven homers and 18 RBI since taking over primary first-base duties at the beginning of August. Both he and Luis Valbuena have been mashing the ball since Yunel Escobar (oblique) went on the disabled list, so manager Mike Scioscia will have a tough decision to make regarding who will sit when his regular third baseman returns later this week. It is possible that the two sluggers will resume their platoon at first base, a move that would certainly put a dent in the right-handed Cron's playing time. Until that time comes, fantasy owners can continue to enjoy the 27-year-old's power output.

Voit went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and four RBI against the Brewers on Tuesday.

Interestingly enough, Voit drove in half those runs with a single out; with the bases loaded in the third inning, he hit into a fielder's choice that plated two runs thanks to Dexter Fowler's brilliant baserunning. This was Voit's first start since being recalled from Triple-A, and if Matt Carpenter keeps sliding over to third base in Jedd Gyorko's (hamstring) absence, the 26-year-old rookie could draw a decent number of additional starts at first base. That could result in some late-season fantasy value, as Voit has mashed at Triple-A this year.

Abreu went 4-for-4 with a double, walk, a run and two RBI in Tuesday's 6-4 loss to Minnesota.

Abreu was clicking at the plate all night, scoring a run in the sixth before knocking one in with a double the next inning and adding an RBI single in the ninth. The Cuban first baseman has strung together three multi-hit efforts in his past four games and 10 in the last 17.

Rizzo went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI Tuesday against the Pirates.

Rizzo has been tearing the cover off the ball of late with five extra-base hits and nine RBI over his past four games. The first baseman's line has shot up to .279/.396/.532.

Freeman won't play Tuesday against the Phillies after the game was postponed due to rain, Meghan Montemurro of The News Journal reports.

The Braves and Phillies will make up Tuesday's contest as part of a doubleheader Wednesday. Freeman went hitless in the series opener Monday, leaving him 0-for-11 over the Braves' past four contests.

Hoskins won't play Tuesday against the Braves after the game was postponed due to rain, Meghan Montemurro of The News Journal reports.

Hoskins will have to wait another day to start a new home-run streak, as the Phillies and Braves will instead make up Tuesday's contest as part of a doubleheader Wednesday. Prior to going 2-for-4 with a double and single in the series opener Monday, Hoskins had gone deep in eight of his previous nine contests.

Bour (oblique) took a few swings in batting practice before Monday's game, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

The Marlins are running out of time to send Bour on a minor-league rehab assignment, but with Double-A Jacksonville leading the Southern League's South division and likely headed for the playoffs beginning next Wednesday, the organization could have the first baseman join the affiliate for the postseason before being activated from the DL. Bour was enjoying a career year before getting hurt in late July, posting a .914 OPS through 87 games. He sits just two homers shy of his personal best.

Cron went 1-for-3 with a strikeout in Monday's 3-1 win over the Athletics.

Cron has picked up starts in 12 consecutive games, with the injury to Yunel Escobar (oblique) affording both Cron and Luis Valbuena regular spots in the lineup at the corner infield spots. Unfortunately, Cron hasn't been able to do much with the uptick in opportunities, hitting just .220 with three extra-base hits over that 12-game stretch. He'll still be in line for consistent at-bats against left-handed pitching, but once Escobar returns from the disabled list -- perhaps as soon as the weekend -- Cron will likely cede starts against righties to Valbuena.