MLB Player News

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard finished a double shy of a cycle Sunday afternoon against the Rockies at Coors Field.

Howard actually made it to second base on a seventh-inning single that got past outfielder Brandon Barnes. He also took starter Juan Nicasio deep for a two-run home run in the third inning. He finished 4 for 5 with three runs scored and three RBI in a 10-9 victory. He is hitting .262 with four homers and 10 RBI in 65 at-bats.

Indians third baseman Carlos Santana is trying to work through a slump, according to MLB.com.

Santana is hitting just .153 through 59 at-bats, and hitting coach Ty Van Burkleo believes he's trying to do too much at the plate. "It just seems like he's trying to do too much," Van Burkleo said. "He went into that spell where he wasn't getting hits, and those 0-fers kind of pile up, and it kind of manifests."

Van Burkleo added that he is trying to get Santana to focus on one at-bat at a time. He praised Santana for his .333 on-base percentage, saying Santana finds a way to contribute even when he's not hitting well.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo was able to start Sunday's game vs. Cincinnati after leaving Saturday's game due to back spasms. Rizzo is batting .419 (18 for 43) with one triple, one home run, two doubles, six RBI, six walks and eight runs in his last 12 games.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo was forced out of Saturday's game against the Reds after eight innings due to back spasms. He felt it in his final at-bat, and the Cubs opted to take him out early as a precaution.

"It just started barking on me in the fifth or sixth, and once we took the four-run lead, I [decided to] play with more caution than go up there, get another at-bat and go out on the field and hurt it even more," Rizzo told MLB.com after the game.

Rizzo also said he felt it Friday, but does not expect it to be a lingering issue. He thinks he will be able to play in Sunday's game.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman clubbed another home run Friday against the Mets.

Freeman didn't get going until late in the game, but managed to make a big impact. With one man on base in the eighth, Freeman homered on an 83 mph changeup from Gonzalez Germen. He also added a double in the ninth inning.

Freeman finished 2 for 5, with one run and two RBI.

Indians third baseman Carlos Santana hit a home run Friday against the Blue Jays.

Santana only had one hit in the game, but made it count. In the sixth inning, he worked a six-pitch at-bat against Drew Hutchison. He took a 91 mph fastball out to right for a two-run shot. He finished the game 1 for 4, with one run scored and two RBI.

Judging by my Twitter feed, Fantasy owners are at a breaking point with Carlos Santana, and I don't understand why.

Oh, I get that he's batting .157, and that's not good. But I don't think anyone who drafted him expected better than a .260 hitter. And I don't think anyone expected the route to .260 to be an even one from start to finish.

Just look at the way Santana's 2013 went. He had a month-long stretch beginning in early May in which he hit .169. He had a 13-game stretch a couple weeks later in which he hit .146 and a 14-game stretch in August in which he hit .115

He was the same player he is now -- or worse, actually -- off and on throughout last season and still ended up hitting a career-high .268. The only difference now is he's doing it when everyone's paying attention.

He's offered excuses, but he didn't just start bouncing around the diamond this year, and his groin isn't sore enough to require a day off. To me, those just make for better headlines than the most obvious one of all: That's baseball.

If I owned Santana, I'd stick with him and take solace in knowing that even at his worst, he's still able to reach base at a .350 clip. Most players can't say that.

Theories about the early-season struggles of embattled Indians cleanup hitter Carlos Santana have gone from the mental to the physical.

He had admitted that a position change that has him serving as the starting third baseman and backup catcher had affected him at the plate. It has since been revealed that he is dealing with a sore left groin, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Santana had his thigh wrapped after the Wednesday game in Detroit, but insisted on playing Thursday, when he experienced yet another 0 for 4. He has just one hit in his last 27 at-bats and just one RBI on the season.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu was not in the team's starting lineup Thursday against the Red Sox. 

Abreu has just one hit over his last 25 at-bats, and was likely being given a day of rest to get his mind right. Abreu is hitting .217 in 60 at-bats. Paul Konerko will play first base in his absence. 

Twins outfielder Chris Colabello reached base three times Thursday against the Blue Jays.

Colabello struck out in his first at-bat, but turned things around quickly. He walked, then singled in his next two at-bats. In his fourth chance, Colabello struck against Todd Redmond, hitting a two-run double. 

Colabello finished the game 2 for 3, with one run and one RBI.