MLB Player News

Mets infielder Wilmer Flores drew a start Thursday against the Cardinals for just the seventh time in the last 22 games. However, manager Terry Collins said don't expect Flores to see an increase in starts any time soon.

"We've got to start winning," Collins said in explanation of Flores' sparse playing time, per MLB.com. "We don't have time to develop players right at the moment. You'd like to, for sure. But you can't just say, 'Hey, look, I'm going to sacrifice three or four games as we try and get some of these young guys in the lineup, try to get them going offensively.'

"I understand how it's tough for them to play once every three or four days -- I certainly understand it, I certainly get it. But unless the time comes where all of the sudden we're going to go with our young players and get them better, right now we've got to try to win some games. Not that he can't help us win games -- don't get me wrong. But it's about going with the guys that are really getting it done at the moment."

Outfielder Kole Calhoun went 4 for 5 with a solo homer, two RBI and three runs scored from the leadoff spot Tuesday, sparking the Angels to a 9-3 win over the Indians. It was Calhoun's third multi-hit game in his last four starts.

Calhoun is hitting .276/.336/.470 with five homers, 12 RBI and 25 runs scored in 136 at-bats.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard went 1 for 3 with two walks and a two-run home run in his team's 5-2 win over the Braves Tuesday.

Howard put the Phillies on the board right away, slugging his home run in the first inning and giving his team a lead it would not relinquish. After hitting home runs in consecutive games, Howard has hit .231/.308/.420 with 13 home runs and 45 RBI in 255 at-bats.

Finally, Carlos Santana owners, you're getting semblance of what you drafted.

With a .333 (17 for 51) batting average and four home runs in his last 15 games, the early-round mainstay, as I pointed out in the Fantasy Baseball Today blog, has now outscored Yadier Molina in Head-to-Head points leagues.

Yes, that Yadier Molina, and yes, for the entire season.

Seeing as Santana is still batting just .191 on the season, you're hopefully beginning to grasp just what kind of potential he has at a historically low-scoring position. With continued correction in batting average, even if just to .230, you're looking at a stud.

Santana isn't quite as valuable in Rotisserie leagues, where his walks don't count for anything in and of themselves, but of course, he's no slouch as a power hitter and should ultimately rank among the top catchers in runs scored and RBI.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard hit his 12th homer in the second inning and drove in the go-ahead run in the 13th inning of Monday's 6-1 win over the Braves. Howard launched a 412-foot solo shot to center and finished 1 for 5 with a walk, two RBI, and two runs scored.

Howard is hitting .230/.302/.409 with 43 RBI in 230 at-bats.

Indians designated hitter Carlos Santana went 1 for 4 with a solo home run in his team's 4-3 win over the Angels Monday.

Chisenhall's fourth-inning home run broke a 3-3 tie and proved to be the final run of the game. He's managed an extra-base hit in each of his last four games, going 6 for 15 with two home runs and two doubles during that stretch. Santana has hit .191/.346/.358 with nine home runs and 26 RBI in 215 at-bats.

Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera went 1 for 2 with two walks and a two-run home run in his team's 4-3 win over the Angels Monday.

Cabrera opened the scoring Monday with his first-inning home run, and he managed to reach base two more times via free passes. He had drawn three walks in 13 games this month before his pair of walks Monday. Cabrera has hit .255/.324/.412 with seven home runs and 26 RBI in 255 at-bats.

The Marlins announced Monday they recalled first baseman Justin Bour from Triple-A New Orleans and demoted infielder Donovan Solano to the Triple-A club. The Marlins also designated reliever Kevin Slowey for assignment.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo hit a two-out solo home run off A.J. Burnett in the first inning Sunday at Philadelphia, giving Travis Wood all the run support he would need in a 3-0 win. Wood tossed eight scoreless innings in the victory.

Rizzo's 14th home run was his fourth in his last 11 games. He's also batting .341 (14 for 41) with four doubles, nine runs and nine RBI in his last 11 games.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto is batting .316 (6 for 19) with two doubles and three RBI in five games since returning from a left quadriceps strain, which kept him sidelined for close to a month.

"I feel good. It's been a bit of an adjustment coming back but I feel totally fine," Votto said, per MLB.com. "Usually, the thing I pay attention to is the way I look and feel when I work before a game. During a game, most of it is instincts and trying to execute a plan. Before a game, you get a good idea of what your physical capacity is. And I feel great before the game. I'm hitting the ball well during batting practice. I'm capable of doing what I want to do."