MLB Player News

Reds first baseman Joey Votto is hoping to begin "baseball activities" soon, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. 

Manager Bryan Price is hoping Votto will start those activities in late August. It's unclear how soon the club expects Votto to return to action. He was hitting .255/.390/.409 over 220 at-bats prior to the injury. 

The Angels announced Sunday they recalled reliever Vinnie Pestano and pitcher Caleb Clay from Triple-A Salt Lake. To clear space on the roster, pitcher Cam Bedrosian and first baseman C.J. Cron were optioned to the minors.

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Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman slammed the third two-run home run in the first two innings against Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg on Friday night. His 375-foot drive gave his team a 6-0 lead.

Freeman, who has provided consistent production all year, has eight hits in the last five games.

The Twins optioned first baseman Chris Colabello after Friday's game to clear a roster spot for Saturday starter Trevor May.

Colabello hasn't provided much offense since the All-Star break, going 5 for 34 with no extra-base hits. He owns a .229/.282/.380 line with six home runs and 39 RBI in 205 at-bats.

It comes as no surprise that Wilmer Flores is starting ahead of Ruben Tejada on Friday night. The former has apparently supplanted the latter as the top shortstop with the Mets, per ESPN, following a conference between Terry Collins and general manager Sandy Alderson.

Flores has earned consistent playing time since late July, though he has not exactly sizzled at the plate. He has five hits in 21 at-bats without a multi-hit game during his recent stretch.

Phillies embattled first baseman Ryan Howard saved his heroics for his last at-bat Thursday against Houston. He cranked out a grand slam in the eighth inning to wrest victory from the jaws of defeat.

Howard, whose homer came against left-hander Tony Sipp, has two homers and eight RBI in the last three games. Despite the criticism, he's on pace to slug 27 home runs with 106 RBI this season.

Astros designated hitter Chris Carter, who has shed his all-or-nothing tag with productive hitting recently, continued to roll Thursday in Philadelphia.

Carter smashed two-run homers in the first and third innings to give him five blasts in the last 13 games. But he also added a single and has 34 hits in his last 104 at-bats to raise his average from .182 to .225. and his slugging perentage nearly 100 points to .494.

Cubs slugger Anthony Rizzo has been given the day off for the Thursday game at Colorado. His spot has been taken by Chris Valaika.

Rizzo has just one hit in his last 12 at-bats, but has produced this season to the tune of a .281/.384/.506 stat line with 25 home runs.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard comprised the entire offense Tuesday, going 2 for 6 with a home run and two RBI in his team's 2-1, 15-inning win over the Astros.

Howard put his team up 1-1 with his solo home run in the second inning, but the Astros were able to tie the game and send it into extra innings. Howard came to the plate with two men on and two outs in the 15th inning and delivered a walkoff single to give his team a win. He has hit .217/.299/.373 with 17 home runs and 65 RBI in 410 at-bats.