MLB Player News

Astros first baseman Chris Carter had multiple hits for the first time in 23 games, dating back to April 28.

Carter went 2 for 3 with a walk and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth. He improved his average to .168.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard fell a triple shy of the cycle in Saturday's 8-1 win over the Nationals. Howard singled in the first, had an RBI-double in the third, and launched a solo home run in the fifth. On the afternoon, the big guy went 3 for 5 with two RBI and a run scored.

His solo shot in the fifth was his 10th of the season, and he is now hitting .268. At this time last year, Howard was hitting .234, as he looks to continue his rebound campaign in 2015. 

The resurgence of Blue Jays right fielder Chris Colabello continued Friday night with his eighth multi-hit game since his promotion on May 6.

Colabello slammed three hits, including a two-run homer off Mariners closer Fernando Rodney in the ninth inning that made things interesting. He also singled twice to sweeten his already-sweet slash line to .381/.431/.556.

The blast gave him his first two-RBI game of the season.

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt made good use of the extra rest he got on Thursday. The slugger, who sat out Thursday's game due to rest, went 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBI in his team's 5-4 win against the Cubs on Friday.

Goldschmidt tied the game with a two-run home run in the 10th inning off Cubs' closer Hector Rondon.

In 41 games, Goldschmidt is hitting .331/.429/.623 with 11 home runs and 35 RBI in 151 at-bats.

Angels DH C.J. Cron is mired in a slump to start the season. Cron is hitting .200 with a .496 OPS. 

As a result, Cron has seen his playing time dwindle, starting just twice in the last 10 games.

Of course, with limited at bats, it will be tough for Cron to find his swing. The question the Angels must answer is whether Cron should stay on the Major League bench or go down to Triple-A to get regular playing time. 

"If you are getting at bats at the major league level you don’t have to get them seven days a week, but if you are getting them one day a week then there’s a discussion of what’s best for the team and what’s best for the player," manager Mike Scioscia said, per the Orange County Register. "C.J. has gotten enough at-bats where if he’s swinging like he can, he’d be contributing, but he hasn’t found that swing yet."

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who was rested on Thursday, is back in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Cubs. But, Goldschmidt is not batting in his typical clean-up spot.

Instead, he will bat third for the first time this year, while third baseman Yasmany Tomas hits fourth. Tomas got off to a slow start at the plate following his promotion on April 15. But he's been red-hot lately, going 14 for 32 with three doubles and a home run over his last nine games. 

For the second straight game, Marlins first baseman Michael Morse will be out of the starting lineup. Morse will be on the bench for Friday's game against the Orioles, while Justin Bour gets another start at first.

Morse's struggles this season have been well-documented, and they will earn him another night on the bench for the Marlins.

The Mets are seeming less and less likely to deal from their surplus of young pitching, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman. There have been numerous on-going talks about the team possibly looking to deal one of their young arms for a shortstop. 

But as Heyman reports, the Mets are not necessarily rushing to go out and get a shortstop. The club is apparently willing to give Wilmer Flores more time to prove himself. They also have a stock of young shortstops in the minor leagues, including Matt Reynolds, Gavin Cecchini and 19-year-old Amed Rosario.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is going to miss Coors Field. Howard homered for the second straight game, going 1 for 4 with the solo bomb in Thursday's loss to the Rockies. Howard's fifth-inning home run was his ninth on the season.

"I mean all that stuff is cool," Howard said about moving up the home-run leaderboard, per MLB.com. "For me, it's just a matter of just getting back to playing ball and just playing my game. That's been my focus all year, is just playing ball. Everything that comes with it, you have good days, bad days, just try to stay even keel and just do what you do."

Howard's bat is really catching fire lately. He now has 13 hits in his last 31 at-bats over his last eight games. 

Indians first baseman Carlos Santana returned to the starting lineup and will bat second Thursday night against the White Sox.

Santana has been sidelined since Sunday with back spasms. He has been held without a hit over his last 14 at-bats. He is hitting .220/.365/.341 with four homers and 20 RBI in 35 games plated.

Santana is a .200 (6 for 30) lifetime hitter, with three homers and four RBI against Thursday starter John Danks.

Cleveland is favored (-130) at Chicago, per VegasInsider.com.