MLB Player News

According to MLB.com, Reds first baseman Joey Votto was scheduled to swing at underhand flips in a batting cage Sunday, the latest step in his rehabilitation from a strained left quadriceps that has sidelined him since July 8.

"Getting in there, it's the first time I'll get to work in the cage with [hitting coaches] Don Long and Lee Tinsley. That's the final step before taking batting practice on the field," Votto said.

Votto says he's made "tremendous progress" and still hopes to return before the end of the season. Hitting flips is supposed to up the intensity he puts on his leg.

"It's day-to-day, station-to-station," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "Everything he's been doing has been increased effort from when he takes ground balls, moving laterally side-to-side, the running -- it's just a progression."

So much for the power outage of White Sox slugger Jose Abreu. Abreu slammed a solo home run in the ninth inning Sunday that went for naught in a loss to Minnesota. It was his first since Aug. 22.

Abreu had already ripped a run-scoring single in the fourth inning as his stat line improved to .322/.384/.604 on the season.

MLB.com reports that Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is looking to make his return to the Cubs' lineup on Monday, when they open up a home series against the Reds. Rizzo has missed 17 games with a back strain, and he was out of the starting lineup again for Sunday's tilt at the Pirates.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo remains out of the starting lineup Saturday.

Rizzo has been sidelined since Aug. 26 due to a back strain, and he may end up missing the remainder of the season. He has hit 278/.375/.514 with 30 home runs and 71 RBI in 486 at-bats.

Angels designated hitter C.J. Cron made his return to the starting lineup Friday night against Houston. Cron was not in the lineup since Monday because of a forearm injury, though he did make a appearance Thursday as a defensive substitute. He has five hits over his first 11 at-bats since being called up in September.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo hoped he could return to the lineup for the weekend series in Pittsburgh, but it won't be Friday night. He remains sidelined with a strained back.

Speculation seems to have cooled that Rizzo will miss the rest of the season, however. He has been out since Aug. 26.

Angels designated hitter C.J. Cron has been unavailable since Monday because of a sore wrist, the Los Angeles Times reports. Cron has five hits over his first 11 at-bats since being called up in September. He is expected to return this weekend against the Astros. 

The power surge continued Thursday for Indians first baseman Carlos Santana.

Santana cranked out a 442-foot blast into the second deck in the first inning of the rout of Minnesota. He has four home runs in his last nine games and has improved his stat line to .233/.368/.443. He has 26 homers on the season - one short of his career-high.

Robin Ventura has expressed wonderment as to why White Sox slugger Jose Abreu is no longer slugging. But Ventura has also voiced confidence that the power outage is temporary.

"I'll take my chances with him of still being able to have the power," he told the Chicago Sun-Times. "Why it's not there right now? I don't know."

Abreu hasn't homered since Aug. 22, which covers a span of 16 games. But he has still hit safely in 14 of those games.

Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun clubbed his 16th home run Wednesday against the Rangers.

Calhoun struck in the ninth inning. With the bases empty, Calhoun drove an 88 mph slider out to right for the solo shot. Calhoun also doubled during the contest. He finished 2 for 6, with one run scored and one RBI.