MLB Player News

First baseman Carlos Santana got the scoring started for the Indians when he crushed a solo home run off Justin Verlander in the fourth inning on Saturday. Santana's seventh home run of the season brough the Indians to within a run, as they went on to win 5-4 over the Tigers.

The home run was Santana's only hit of the game, though he did draw a walk. He has struggled at the plate this month, batting .200 through 11 games in June.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is back in the starting lineup on Saturday against the Pirates.

Howard was benched for Friday's game and has been out of the lineup for three of the last six games.

Howard is hitting .239 with 11 home runs and 28 RBI in 205 at-bats this season.

The Astros will put a shuffled lineup up against the Mariners on Saturday, the team announced.

Right fielder George Springer will return to the leadoff role after teammate Jose Altuve, who hit leadoff in Friday's game, hurt his hamstring. Rookie shortstop Carlos Correa will bat second, despite not hitting any higher than fifth in the lineup since being called up to the majors.

Jake Marisnik will make his first start in left field, giving Preston Tucker a day off. He will bat sixth in the lineup.

First baseman Chris Carter, who hit a home run out of the ninth spot on Friday, will bat in the cleanup spot on Saturday.

Marwin Gonzalez will fill Altuve's void at second base and bat eighth.

Astros first baseman Chris Carter slammed his 11th home run of the season in a win against the Mariners on Friday.

Carter went 2 for 3 with a solo home run, an RBI, a walk and two runs scored.

Carter is hitting .444 with four hits and four runs scored in his last three games.

Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun hit a solo home run and drove in three runs in Friday's win over Oakland. 

Calhoun went 2 for 4. He hit his sixth home run and drove in his 32nd run. 

Astros first baseman Chris Carter went 2 for 3 and hit a solo home run in the fifth inning of Friday's win over Seattle. 

Carter hit his first home run since June 3, and his tenth of the year. He walked once and scored twice. Carter now has 31 RBI on the season. 

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores launched his 10th home run of the season in Friday's 5-3 win over the Braves. His solo shot in the second inning got the scoring started for the Mets, though it was his only hit of the game.

Flores was batting in the cleanup spot in the order for the first time in his career. He's the first Mets shortstop to bat fourth since 2002, and the first to homer from the cleanup spot since Howard Johnson in 1991. 

Flores is 10 for 37 with two home runs this month.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning of Friday's loss to Tampa Bay. 

Abreu went 2 for 4 in the game. He went deep for the third straight game and 12th time this year. He drove in two runs for the third straight game as well, giving him 39 on the year. 

"I'm working every day trying to hit the ball to the opposite field," he said. "I feel good about that right now. It was a good pitch. I was able to hit it well."

Continued failure against left-handers has Phillies veteran first baseman Ryan Howard benched Friday night against Pittsburgh southpaw Jeff Locke.

Howard has two hits in seven at-bats against Locke lifetime, but is batting .167 against lefties (7-for-42) this season. He has been out of the lineup for three of the last six games despite six hits in his last 20 at-bats.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman remained hot at the plate in Thursday's extra-inning loss to the Padres. On Thursday, Freeman went 3 for 5 with two doubles, a home run, two RBI and a run scored. 

Freeman's blast was a solo shot in the sixth inning to put the Braves up 2-1. It was his 11th home run of the season, and fourth in his last 10 games.

Over that 10-game stretch, Freeman is batting .375 with 11 RBI. His batting season batting average has increased from .289 to .304 during that time.