MLB Player News

Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun hit the second pitch of the game for a leadoff home run in Saturday's 6-4 loss to Kansas City. 

Calhoun went two for four, scoring twice and driving in three. In addition to his first homer, he hit his second double of the year. The performance lifted his average to .200 on the season. 

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt went 1 for 4 Saturday with a home run and three RBI in Arizona's 6-0 win over the Dodgers.

Goldschmidt snagged his first RBI in the third inning after a fielding error led to A.J. Pollock scoring. Then in the seventh, Goldschmidt ripped the first pitch he saw from Clayton Kershaw to deep left center for a home run, driving in Ender Inciarte.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman went 1 for 4 at the plate with a solo home run in Atlanta's 5-3 win over the Mets Saturday.

Freeman, who also struck out once, took pitcher Dillon Gee to deep right field to lead off the second inning. It was Freeman's first of the year and 87th of his six-year career.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto hit home runs in his first two at bats in a 5-4 win over the Cardinals on Friday. Votto hit two-run shots in the first and third innings, giving him three home runs on the year, or half as many as he had all of last season. 

"The one was off a pretty good pitch," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said, per the Associated Press. "He just went out and drove it. We've seen him hit some pretty good pitches in the past, and he did today."

'He was terrific,'' manager Bryan Price said. ''He's doing a lot of things really well. It's nice to have him back with his athleticism.''

Votto had his tenth career multi-homer game and first since May 13, 2012. 

Votto was two for three with a walk. He has eight RBI on the year and is hitting .412.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo went two for two in a 5-1 loss to the Rockies on Friday. 

Rizzo scored the only run of the game for Chicago. He was also hit by a pitch twice. 

Angels outfielder Matt Joyce was given the night off against Kansas City left-hander Jason Vargas. It's the second time this season he's been given a game off against a southpaw. Joyce has just one hit in his first eight at-bats this season.

"He's going to do it [hit against lefties]," hitting coach Baylor said of Joyce, per the Orange County Register. "He's going to be an important factor for us, no doubt. He's got too good of a swing."

Collin Cowgill took his spot in left field and is batting eighth. Meanwhile, David Freese will bat in the cleanup spot, with C.J. Cron fifth.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard was left out of the starting lineup Friday against the Nationals for the first time in four games this season. Darin Ruf drew the start at first base with left-hander Gio Gonzalez on the hill.

Howard, who is batting .083 (1 for 12) through three games, is a career .224 hitter against lefties. 

Ruf, who made a third straight start Friday (started in left field previous two days), has no hits in seven at-bats this season.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch chose to roll with Jonathan Villar at third base and Robbie Grossman in left field Friday night against left-hander Derek Holland and the Rangers, per MLB.com. Luis Valbuena and Colby Rasmus received a day off against the southpaw.

Hinch also flip-flopped struggling DH Evan Gattis and Chris Carter in the batting order. Gattis has started his stint with the Astros 0 for 11 with eighth strikeouts. He will hit fifth, while Carter will move to the cleanup spot.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley returned to the starting lineup and is batting third, behind Jason Kipnis and ahead of Carlos Santana on Friday against the Tigers, according to the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

Brantley was sidelined the previous two games with lower back stiffness. He has been held without a hit in four at-bats this season.

Manager Terry Francona told reporters he may sprinkle in some off days for Brantley in the near future after the outfielder acknowledged he's still experiencing some lower back discomfort, per MLB.com.

"We'll keep an eye on him," Francona said. "If he needs a day off or something, we can certainly do that. But we don't ever want to turn something that could be a day or two into two weeks. But it's nice having him in the lineup, that's for sure."

Late in spring training, it was reported the Phillies were willing to pay $50 million of the $60 million remaining on first baseman Ryan Howard's contract in order to trade him.

However, two rival general managers told CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman that they hadn't heard the Phillies were willing to pay that much of Howard's contract. One general manager said it was his belief the Phillies were only willing to pay $35 million to move Howard.