MLB Player News

Rays shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera went just 2 for 27 with one walk and one RBI in seven games over the second week of the season.

Cabrera has been locked into the No. 3 spot in the batting order, but he'll likely need to start picking things up with the bat in order to stay in such a potentially productive position. He has hit just .192/.222/.250 in 52 at-bats.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto has quickly put a rocky 2014 season in the rearview mirror, hitting .364/.481/.727 with four home runs and 10 RBI in 44 at-bats.

Votto has built his hot start on the back of his multihit performances, as the first baseman has picked up multiple hits in seven of his first 12 games, including twice in the team's recent three-game series against the Cardinals. Unfortnately, the Reds were swept by their division rivals this weekend and have lost seven of their last eight games. Cincinnati will look to turn things around in a four-game series in Milwaukee that starts Monday.

Astros first baseman Chris Carter has struggled heavily during the first two weeks of the season, going 3 for 40 with no extra-base hits and striking out 17 times.

Carter has drawn four walks and scored one run but has managed just a .075/.159/.075 line. The righty slugger, who is prone to hitless stretches, could be on the verge of turning things around offensively, as the Astros are scheduled to face three lefty starters in a four-game span starting Wednesday. He has hit much better against lefties in 2014, posting a .244/.350/.519 line with 10 home runs in 135 at-bats.

Carter has also delivered quality career numbers at Safeco Field, where he's opening a three-game series Monday. The first baseman has hit .284/.370/.547 with seven home runs and 18 RBI in 95 at-bats against the Mariners on the road.

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt connected for his fifth home run of the season on Sunday, pulling even with the Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez for the lead in the National League.

Goldschmidt went 1 for 3 with two runs scored in the D-Backs' win.

Indians first baseman Carlos Santana went 1 for 4 with a solo home run in his team's 7-2 loss to the Twins Sunday.

Santana's home run came in the top of the ninth inning, so it had no impact on the outcome of the game. It was his first extra-base hit in more than a week.

"They changed their approach," said Santana to Cleveland.com. "But we face them a lot this year so I'll have to change my approach to them. This is what happens in this league."

Santana has hit .244/.354/.415 with two home runs and seven RBI in 41 at-bats in 11 games.

Jose Abreu drove in the White Sox's only run of Sunday's loss to Detroit with an RBI triple in the sixth inning. 

Abreu went 1 for 3, raising his average to .256. He hit his first triple of the year and drove in his seventh run. 

Mets left fielder Michael Cuddyer and shortstop Wilmer Flores are not in the starting lineup for Sunday's matchup with the Marlins.

It's just the second time on the bench this season for both players. Kirk Nieuwenhuis will bat seventh and play left field, while Ruben Tejada will bat eighth and play shortstop. The break for both starters comes even though the team is also off Monday.

"You've just got to understand that we've still got 150 to go, and we need those guys to stay as healthy as you can," manager Terry Collins said before the game, per ESPN New York.

The Mets are heavy favorites (-200) against the Marlins Sunday.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman is serving as the team's designated hitter for Sunday's series finale against the Blue Jays in Toronto.

The Braves have mixed and matched at designated hitter during the series in Toronto, using Chris Johnson and Nick Markakis there in the team's first two days. Catcher Christian Bethancourt is also back in the lineup Sunday after sitting out the team's first two games of the series.

The Braves are underdogs (+135) against the Blue Jays Sunday.

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores didn't perform like an eight-hole hitter Saturday night against Miami. And he didn't perform like a batter with no multi-hit games this season.

Flores slugged a two-run homer to cap a three-run sixth and added a single in the victory. He nudged his average 40 points to .222 in the process and is batting .300 in his last six games.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman went 2 for 4 at the plate in Atlanta's 6-5 loss to the Blue Jays Saturday in 10 innings. 

Freeman cranked an 0-1 pitch from R.A. Dickey over the right field wall in the third inning, driving home Nick Markakis.

"The ball's never gonna do the same thing, so there's no point in seeing a pitch," said Freeman to MLB.com. "He throws between 67 and 80 [mph], so you just try to see one up and hope it doesn't move as much," Freeman said.

He is now hitting .478 in his career against knuckleball pitchers with three home runs.