MLB Player News

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo provided the only offense for his club on Friday, as the Twins defeated Chicago 7-2. Rizzo popped a pair of solo home runs, his 13th and 14th of the season.

The power-hitting Rizzo now has five home runs over his last 13 ballgames, and is batting .304 overall this season. 

Braves red-hot first baseman Freddie Freeman will cool his heels on the bench Friday night against the Mets after sustaining a right wrist sprain Wednesday. Kelly Johnson will play the position instead.

Freeman hopes he can play Saturday, but admitted there is a chance he will be forced to skip the entire weekend series since his wrist remains sore, per MLB.com.

He had seven home runs and 18 RBI in his previous 19 games before going down.

Blue Jays left fielder Chris Colabello hit his fifth home run of the season against the Mets on Thursday.

Colabello hit a solo home run off of Mets starter Bartolo Colon in the top of the fifth inning. He finished the game going 1 for 4 with with an RBI and two runs scored.

Colabello is hitting .344 with 10 hits and four RBI over his last seven games, which he has hit safely in all of them.

Astros left fielder Chris Carter went 2 for 5 with two RBI in Thursday's win over the Rockies.

Carter's bat has come alive during his last two games, going a combined 4 for 10 with two doubles and four RBI.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard hit his 12th home run of the season in Thursday afternoon's 2-1 win over the Orioles. 

Howard hit a two-run homer off of Bud Norris in the sixth inning that ultimately served as the game-winner. He finished the game 2 for 3 and also hit a single. It was Howard's first home run since June 5. 

Howard now has a slash line of .236/.276/.471. 

Reds first baseman Joey Votto has returned to the starting lineup for Thursday's game against the Tigers. 

Votto did not start Wednesday but did play in the eighth and nine innings, notching a single in his lone at-bat. Votto is hitting .298/.398/.549 this year with 14 home runs and 36 RBI. Votto will bat third against the Tigers. 

As expected, Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman was not in the starting lineup Thursday against the Red Sox after suffering a right wrist sprain Wednesday. Kelly Johnson started in his absence at first base.

Thursday was just the second time this season that Freeman didn't start. The other time was May 31. 

He is batting .328 with four doubles, five home runs, 15 RBI, 14 runs, seven walks, 13 strikeouts and two stolen bases through 16 games in June.

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt hit his 19th home run of the season in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Angels. 

Goldschmidt hit his solo shot in the bottom of the first inning. Goldschmidt finished the game 2 for 4 and is now hitting an incredible .472 over his last 10 games. Goldschmidt has hit three home runs over this span as well. 

For the season, Goldschmidt holds a slash line of .363/.481/.679. 

Just for good measure, Astros first baseman Chris Carter added a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to give Houston their 8-4 win over the Rockies on Wednesday. Carter, who also doubled earlier in the game, slugged his 12th home run of the season on Wednesday.

Carter had been hitless in his last three games entering play on Wednesday, but broke out of the mini-slump in a big way. He has four homers in the month of June so far.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman left Wednesday's game against the Red Sox in the top of the seventh inning with a wrist injury. Freeman was 0 for 3 prior to his departure.

The Braves are calling the injury a right wrist sprain, which has caused Freeman to receive a cortisone shot, and he will not be available for Thursday's series finale. He does hope to play on Friday against the Mets, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.