MLB Player News

Santana went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, a home run and three RBI in Tuesday's 12-10 loss to the Red Sox.

The homer was his 15th of the season and fifth in the last nine games, as Santana has posted a .364/.488/.848 slash line during that hot streak with eight RBI and 10 runs. His overall performance in 2017 still remains off last year's pace, but the 31-year-old is capable of a big kick to the finish.

Calhoun (hamstring) is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Phillies, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

While his injury isn't expected to warrant a trip to the DL, it's still bothersome enough to keep him out of Tuesday's series opener. Calhoun should be considered day-to-day, while recently recalled Ramon Flores will start in his place in right field for the time being.

Freeman will man first base Tuesday against the Dodgers and is expected to see the bulk of his starts at the position over the final two months of the season, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

In an effort to keep Matt Adams' hot bat in the lineup, the Braves moved Freeman over from first base to third base when he was activated from the disabled list July 4 following a lengthy absence due to a wrist injury. Though he wasn't a major defensive liability at the hot corner during his 16 games at the position, Freeman was never viewed as a long-term solution at the position, and will now head back to his natural spot across the diamond with the Braves eager to clear an everyday role in the infield for Ozzie Albies, who was promoted from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday. Adams isn't expected to lose out on regular at-bats while Freeman slides back over to first base, as he's now set to see most of his starts in left field. Freeman could still be used at third base on a few more occasions as the season winds down, but it no longer seems to be a lock that he'll gain eligibility at the position in fantasy leagues heading into 2018.

Bour (oblique) is still at least three weeks away from resuming baseball activities, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Oblique strains do tend to take a while to heal, and it's not too surprising to hear that the Marlins are taking the cautious approach with their slugging first baseman. Considering this timeline and how far out of a playoff spot the team is, there is speculation that Bour could be held out for the remainder of the season, although no official word has come forth on that front. Tyler Moore and Tomas Telis should continue to plug the hole at first base while he's out of commission.

Rizzo (back) is starting Tuesday's game against the Diamondbacks, playing first base and batting third.

Rizzo was forced to sit out of Sunday's series finale with the Brewers, but Monday's off-day seems to have been just what he needed to get back into action. He'll resume his role in the Cubs' lineup as a main run producer.

Pratto, the Royals' first-round pick in 2017, is considered the team's top prospect.

Pratto has the tools to develop into a fantastic big-league hitter, but his journey is just beginning. The 18-year-old is hitting .218 with a pair of home runs and 18 RBI through his first 22 games in the Arizona Rookie League.

Freeman went 1-for-4 with a walk and a solo home run in Monday's loss to the Phillies.

The month of July wasn't quite as spectacular for Freeman as his April or May, but he still put together a .278/.350/.511 slash line with five homers and 15 RBI in 23 games. The 27-year-old slugger's next home run will be his 20th of the season and mark his fifth time reaching that threshold in seven MLB seasons.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Monday that Smith is "not far" from earning a promotion to the big leagues, Tyler Kepner of The New York Times reports.

The writing has been on the wall for Smith's promotion since everyday first baseman Lucas Duda was traded to the Rays last week, and the Mets' decision to promote top prospect Amed Rosario to the majors Tuesday may open the floodgates for further callups in the near future. Even after accounting for the tremendously hitter-friendly environment at Las Vegas, Smith's .340/.394/.534 slash line still stands out, so he certainly seems ready for his first trial with the Mets. Once his promotion eventually comes, Smith will likely occupy an everyday role at first base, resulting in the hot-hitting Wilmer Flores either moving across the diamond or settling into a bench role.

Cooper was sent down to Triple-A Scranton following Monday's game, Pete Caldera of The Record reports.

Cooper never found a rhythm for the Yankees, as he went just 6-for-25 with one walk against nine strikeouts in his eight games for New York. Chase Headley is on a roll and has settled into regular duty at first base for the time being, leaving Cooper the odd man out as the Yankees shuffle their roster following the trade deadline.

General manager Billy Eppler said Calhoun (hamstring) won't require a trip to the disabled list, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Eppler said Calhoun is considered day-to-day, as Monday's tests revealed his hamstring injury is somewhere between spasms and a Grade 1 strain. Shane Robinson will likely man right field while the 29-year-old is on the mend, though it doesn't sound like he'll miss too much time.