MLB Player News

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu went 1 for 3 in Friday's win over the Cubs. 

The single extended Abreu's hitting streak to 12 consecutive games, the longest current streak in the American League. 

Abreu is hitting .327 (16 for 49) over the streak. 

With lefty ace Madison Bumgarner on the mound Friday, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard will be held out of the starting lineup in the series-opener versus the Giants. Howard has struggled against southpaws this season to the tune of a .138 average (9 for 65).

Specifically, Howard is just 2 for 11 lifetime against Bumgarner. So, he will take a seat on Friday with Darin Ruf making the start at first base. 

Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun went 2 for 5 with a double, a home run and a RBI in Thursday's loss to the Mariners.

Calhoun hit his 10th homer of the season in the eighth inning to cut his team's deficit.

Over his last six games, Calhoun is hitting an impressive .345 with 10 hits, four doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI.

White Sox designated hitter Jose Abreu went 2 for 4 with a pair of singles in the 2-0 win over the Blue Jays on Thursday. With the two-hit effort, Abreu now owns an 11-game hitting streak.

During the streak, Abreu is batting .326 with a pair of home runs and five RBI. 

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard has been benched often lately against left-handers. He was not about to start against Dodgers super southpaw Clayton Kershaw on Wednesday night.

Howard is indeed out of the lineup for the fourth time in the last 11 games. He has just nine hits in 64 at-bats against lefties this season.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (wrist) could be ready to come off the 15-day disabled list as soon as the first day after the All-Star break, assistant general manager John Coppolella told reporters Wednesday. 

However, if Freeman isn't ready when the second half starts July 17, he is expected back before the end of July, according to Coppolella.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu went 1 for 4 in Tuesday's loss to Toronto. 

The single extended Abreu's hitting streak to nine consecutive games. 

Abreu is hitting just .297 over the streak.  

Reds first baseman Joey Votto was on his game Tuesday against the Nationals. The former MVP went 3 for 5 with a double, a homer and three RBI in the 5-0 win. Votto hit an RBI-double in the first inning to give the Reds and early 1-0 lead.

Then, with his team up 2-0 in the third, Votto smoked a solo home run to right field off Max Scherzer. It was Votto's 15th home run of the season, and his first since June 13.

Votto has been struggling at the plate recently, as the three-hit effort on Tuesday gives him a .211 average over his last 10 ballgames. Tuesday's homer was his first extra-base hit in his last 19 games.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard was held out of Tuesday's lineup at the Los Angeles Dodgers, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Howard was replaced at first by Darin Ruf, who will bat fourth. Over his last 15 games, Howard is hitting .143 with one home run and eight RBI.

The Phillies are the underdogs (-300) at Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo homered during a 7-4 win in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Cardinals. He connected for a two-run homer off Randy Choate in the eighth inning -- his 16th home run this season.

Rizzo went 2 for 3 with two runs, two walks and one strikeout. He ended his home run drought at 13 games.

He entered play Tuesday mired in a 4-for-32 slump in his previous nine games.