MLB Player News

Bell is out of the lineup Thursday night against the Diamondbacks.

Bell has gone four consecutive games without collecting a hit. His recent troubles at the plate have dropped his batting average from .258 to .236 over that brief span. He'll get the night off while John Jaso fills in at first base.

O'Hearn said he gained a lot of confidence from his production last season, as well as getting the chance to join the Royals in spring training for a while this year, Tony Boone of the Omaha World-Herald reports.

The first baseman is slashing .262/.325/.486 with six home runs and 14 RBI through his first 28 games at the Triple-A level. With Eric Hosmer widely thought to be on his way out (whether via trade or free agency), O'Hearn is not far from making his MLB debut. "You know it's there. It's been there," O'Hearn said. "Everybody knows Hosmer is going to be a free agent, and we don't know if he's going to be a Royal anymore or not. It's really out of my control. All I can do is play every day here, play as hard as I can and try to continue to get better and progress." The 23-year-old admitted he could use some work to improve his defensive, but didn't hesitate in adding that he feels ready to compete at the MLB level.

Mountcastle is crushing pitchers to the tune of a .305/.338/.542 slash line with seven home runs, 23 RBI and 22 runs through 33 games with High-A Frederick.

Mountcastle, the O's first-round pick in 2015, is well on his way to MiLB's higher levels. His home run, RBI and run totals are all good for top-five marks in the Carolina League, while the shortstop's 40 hits ranks first. Mountcastle is still working out defensive kinks -- he made 21 errors at short in 2016 -- and where he fits defensively is still up in the air. But one thing's for sure; the 20-year-old can swing it, and Mountcastle is deserving of a spot across most dynasty leagues that reserve slots for minor league players.

Goldschmidt went 1-for-2 with three walks, a stolen base and a run scored in Wednesday's 7-1 win over the Tigers.

Goldschmidt's plate discipline has been a strength for years, but he's raised the bar in 2017 with an astounding 24:29 K:BB through 152 plate appearances. His ability to rack up walks will give him even more appeal in leagues where on-base percentage is a category, but even in more traditional formats, Goldschmidt will still be an above-average asset in all five categories.

Freeman went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Wednesday's loss to the Astros.

The blast was his 12th of the season. Freeman's batting average has started to tumble a little, as he has just five hits in his last 26 at-bats, but three of them have left the yard, giving him a still-dizzying .336/.457/.743 slash line on the season. With his walk rate at a career high (16.7 percent), strikeout rate at a career low (18.8 percent) and his .347 BABIP falling well within his normal range, there's no reason to think a big regression is coming for Freeman.

Flores went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI in Wednesday's loss to the Giants.

He now has seven hits in his last three games, adding nearly 80 points to his batting average in the process. It's hard to see where the 25-year-old fits into the starting lineup once Asdrubal Cabrera (thumb) is healthy, but Mets manager Terry Collins may try to find a way to get Flores consistent at-bats while he's hot.

Bour went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run and two walks during Wednesday's loss to St. Louis.

It was the fifth home run of the season for Bour, and he's also now up to a respectable 21 RBI. However, after posting a .478 slugging percentage over the past two seasons, his current .396 mark stands out. There is ample power upside, and Bour should have some statistical correction ahead. This is a potential buy-low spot for the first baseman.

Joseph went 3-for-5 with a double, a homer and two runs against the Mariners on Wednesday.

He also went yard Tuesday and has gone 9-for-20 over the past six games, so Joseph's starting to right the ship after a terribly slow start to the campaign. With his bat coming alive, Joseph merits scooping off waiver wires for fantasy teams that need help on offense -- the average may not be very good, but he has legit 30-homer power.

Diaz will start in left field and bat eighth Wednesday against the Blue Jays.

After serving as the Indians' primary third baseman in his first stint with the big club earlier this season, Diaz has settled in as the team's left fielder since his promotion Monday. With Michael Brantley (ankle) still day-to-day, Diaz's stay in the lineup may not last much longer, as the club still remains optimistic that Brantley will be able to rejoin the lineup at some point during the Tribe's weekend series with the Twins.

Rizzo is not in the Cubs' lineup Wednesday against the Rockies.

Rizzo played both games in Tuesday's doubleheader and is still recovering from a sore wrist, so it appears to be a routine day of rest for the slugger. Rookie Jeimer Candelario will man first base in Wednesday's series finale.