MLB Player News

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo heads into Friday's game against the Rockies having reached base safely in his last 16 games dating back to last season, which is the longest active streak in the majors, per the Chicago Tribune.

Rizzo has yet to record a hit in four at-bats this season, but he has a walk in each of his first two games. He also has one run, one hit by pitch and two strikeouts.

Astros slugger Chris Carter started all three games in the season-opening series against the Indians. Unfortunately, Carter didn't have a whole lot of luck offensively.

Carter, who hit 37 home runs in 2014, was hitless in 11 at-bats against the Indians. He struck out four times, including three strikeouts Thursday. 

Slow starts are nothing new for Carter, who has a career .181 average during the first month of the baseball season. In 2014, he hit .153 with three home runs, six doubles, eight RBI and 37 strikeouts in 26 games in April.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto went 1 for 4 with his first home run of the season in his team's 3-2 win over the Giants Thursday.

Votto came up with a man on base in the bottom of the sixth and his team down two runs, and his homer was able to tie the game. After the teams traded zeroes over the next few innings, the Reds were able to earn a win on a walkoff fielding error. Votto is 5 for 14 with one home run and four RBI after three games.

Indians first baseman Carlos Santana connected for his first home run Wednesday against the Astros. While hitting a home run isn't big news for Santana, who has 99 career home runs, hitting one Wednesday was significant because it was his birthday.

"This is not new for me," Santana said, per MLB.com. "Every year I try to get a home run for my birthday."

Santana has a knack for stepping up offensively on his birthday. Dating back to 2009 when he was with Double-A Akron, Santana has hit .444 (12 for 27) with six home runs and 14 RBI on his birthday, per MLB.com. 

"This is a special day for me," Santana said.

Indians first baseman Carlos Santana went 1 for 4 with a solo home run in his team's 2-0 win over the Astros Wednesday.

Santana broke a scoreless tie with his fourth-inning homer, and it was all the offense the Indians would end up needing on the back of starter Carlos Carrasco. Santana is 2 for 7 in his first two games after hitting .231/.365/.427 with 27 home runs in 541 at-bats last season.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman drove in two runs in the team's 12-2 victory over the Marlins on Tuesday. Additionally, Freeman scored two runs on two doubles and a single in five at-bats.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Tuesday's batting order against the Orioles will be the standard lineup for when a left-handed starter is on the mound, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The Orioles are starting Wei-Yin Chen on Tuesday.

The Rays lineup Tuesday was Brandon Guyer (LF), Steven Souza (RF), Asdrubal Cabrera (SS), Evan Longoria (3B), Desmond Jennings (CF), Logan Forsythe (DH), James Loney (1B), Rene Rivera (C) and Tim Beckham (2B).

Angels first baseman C.J. Cron, who started at DH on Monday against the Mariners, will be given the chance to play regularly, even against elite right-handed starters, manager Mike Scioscia said.

“The plan is to get C.J. in for a lot of at-bats,” Scioscia said, per The Orange County Register. “No doubt in the spring he was swinging the bat better than he was last year. I want to give him a chance to see if he can come out and contribute.”

Jose Abreu's solo home run accounted for the White Sox only scoring in a 10-1 loss to the Royals on Opening Day. 

Abreu led off the seventh inning by hitting a 2-0 pitch to left center for a home run off of winning pitcher Yordano Ventura. 

Abreu went one for three with a walk and grounded into a double play. 

First-year Rays manager Kevin Cash opted to bat Asdrubal Cabrera -- who is also in his first year with Tampa Bay -- third in Monday's season opener against Orioles right-hander pitcher Chris Tillman. Cabrera is batting .333 (3 for 9) with one double and four RBI in his career against Tillman.

Cabrera entered play Monday batting .276 with a .350 on-base percentage, .436 slugging percentage, .786 OPS, 20 home runs, 50 doubles and 101 RBI in 185 games batting third.