MLB Player News

Rays rehabbing shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury, took batting practice Friday and ran the bases, per the Tampa Tribune.

Cabrera is eligible to come off the disabled list Monday, but he likely won't be back until early August.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu hit his 15th home run, a solo shot, in the 6-0 win over the Indians on Friday. Abreu's sixth-inning blast of Corey Kluber gave Chicago a 2-0 lead at the time.

It was Abreu's only hit of the game, and his first longball in about three weeks. The 2014 AL Rookie of the Year has been struggling lately, batting just .182 with three RBI over his last eight games.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman enjoyed success in a rehab game Friday for the team's Gulf Coast League club. He slammed two hits in four at-bats, including a home run.

Freeman, who also drove in three runs, is hoping to return to the Atlanta lineup next Thursday against Philadelphia. He has been sidelined for six week with a wrist injury.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is not in the lineup against the Cubs on Friday.

Howard will be replaced at first base by Darin Ruf, who is batting out of the fifth spot of the lineup.

Howard is hitting .258 with eight hits, two home runs, seven RBI and eight strikeouts during his last eight games.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto had a big day in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Cubs. Votto went 3 for 4 with a pair of singles and a solo home run. Votto's homer came in the fifth inning with the Reds already up 4-1.

Votto, who also scored three runs in the game, is batting .425 with three home runs and six RBI over his last 11 contests.

Angels first baseman C.J. Cron went 4 for 4 in Tuesday's win over Minnesota. 

Cron recorded his third four-hit game of the season. He went 4 for 4 on April 26 and 4 for 5 on July 5. 

In the 12 games Cron has played in July, he has six multi-hit games. 

Astros DH Chris Carter went 2 for 3 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's win over Boston. 

Carter picked up his first hit since July 3, snapping an 0-for-18 streak. He homered for the first time since July 1.

Mets second baseman Wilmer Flores went 2 for 4 in Tuesday's win over Washington.

Flores hit in his third straight game and had his second multi-hit game over that stretch. 

Flores scored once, and drove in his first two runs since July 5. 

 Angels first baseman Albert Pujols will start at DH, getting a break from the field in Monday's game. It will be his 21st start at DH.

Pujols has started 69 games at first and four of the last five. He'll be replaced by C.J. Cron for the second time in three games, however. Cron gets his 12th start. 

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman will head down to the Braves' training facility in Florida to work out for about 2-3 days. He will then likely head out on a minor league rehab assignment, as he continues to recover from a wrist injury.

Freeman could return on the Braves' upcoming road trip, which begins Friday in St. Louis. It is more likely that the power-hitting first baseman makes his return at the end of the trip in Philadelphia, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.