MLB Player News

The Mets optioned infielder Wilmer Flores to Triple-A Las Vegas Wednesday, to make room on the active roster for the return of Juan Lagares from the disabled list Thursday.  

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman was forced to leave Wednesday's game against the Astros, but he told the Atlanta Journal Constitution he shouldn't miss much time.

Freeman left the game in the top of the eight, after he was hit on the elbow by a pitch. Fortunately, he told the Constitution he hopes to return to action Thursday, after doctors told him he would not need an X-ray.

Freeman finished the game 1 for 3 with two strikeouts prior to the injury. The Braves close out the series against the Astros Thursday. 

Marlins infielder Donovan Solano is on his way back up Wednesday.

Solano will replace Adeiny Hechavarria on the active roster. Hechavarria hit the disabled list due to a triceps injury. Solano has already been up this season. He hit .196 over 51 at-bats. 

Indians first baseman Carlos Santana's renaissance continued Tuesday, as he reached base six times in an extra-innings loss to the Diamondbacks.

Santana played a huge part despite the 9-8 loss in 14 innings, going 4 for 5. He did hit a go-ahead homer in the 11th inning, but the Diamondbacks tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Santana scored twice and walked twice, while driving in two runs.

Santana got off to a slow start, and only got his average above .200 last weekend. He is now hitting .214/.366/.408 with 12 home runs and 31 RBI in 237 at-bats overall.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo went 3 for 4 with a solo home run in his team's 7-4 win over the Reds Tuesday.

Rizzo's home run was his second in two days and his third in his last four games. During a six-game hitting streak over the past week, the first baseman has gone 11 for 24 with three doubles, three home runs and six RBI. Rizzo has hit .288/.404/.523 with 17 home runs and 44 RBI in 267 at-bats.

Ever since coming off the 15-day disabled list, Joey Votto has not hit for much power, as he has yet to hit a home run in 13 games for the Reds. He does have five doubles over that span to go with a .300 batting average and a .410 on-base percentage. That's not a bad combination, but going forward, Fantasy owners should not look for a resurgence of home run power to go along with the rest of his stat line.

Even before his DL stint, Votto's home run power had been diminished, and for the second straight season, his flyball rate has dipped. Last season, it plunged from 33 to 23 percent, and so far in 2014, it has fallen just below the 20 percent mark. While many Fantasy owners were less than thrilled about Votto's 24 home runs from a season ago, he's not a safe bet to reach even 15 this year.

Votto has always been able to square up the ball, and this season's 36 percent line drive rate and 2 percent popup rate show he hasn't lost that skill at all. His ability to draw walks, hit for average and produce doubles will make him close to an elite first baseman in points leagues, but in Rotisserie formats, he can no longer be counted on to be a top five option at the position.

Indians infielder Carlos Santana has been highly productive since returning from the disabled list June 6, a 16-game stretch in which he's played first base 14 times. Santana began the season as a third baseman and backup catcher.

Over the recent span, Santana is 19 for 57 (.333) with five homers and 12 RBI.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo went 2 for 4 with a solo home run in his team's 6-1 loss to the Reds Monday.

Rizzo evened the score at 1-1 with his sixth inning home run, but the Cubs were able to do no more damage, and they didn't have an answer for the Reds' five-run ninth inning. The first baseman has hit .281/.399/.513 with 16 home runs and 43 RBI in 263 at-bats. Eight of his home runs have come in his last 22 games dating back to May 31.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu went 2 for 4 with a double, a home run and three RBI in his team's 6-4 loss to the Orioles Monday.

Abreu, who served as the designated hitter in the game, earned his first RBI on a groundout in the third inning before smacking a solo home run in the sixth inning to even the game at 2-2. He collected his third RBI on a seventh-inning double that put his team up 4-2, but the Orioles offense came through in the end to deny the White Sox a win. Abreu has hit .274/.322/.613 with 22 home runs and 60 RBI in 248 at-bats during his rookie season.

When the Angels released Raul Ibanez this weekend, it didn't get much attention in Fantasy. He wasn't contributing much of anything himself, and at age 42, nobody expected him to.

But his loss is, of course, another player's gain, and that player just so happened to be a legitimate prospect coming into the year.

Maybe C.J. Cron is overlooked in Fantasy because he's spent much of his two months in the majors as a part-timer or, at times, even a reserve. But with Ibanez out of the picture, he's in line for everyday at-bats now, which makes his performance to date ... interesting, to say the least.

In 112 at-bats, he has hit .286 with six home runs and an .846 OPS, making him out to be what some prognosticators have suggested he is: another Mark Trumbo-type player. Or at least close to it. He may trade off some of Trumbo's homers for a higher batting average since his strikeout rate is a good bit lower, but even so, he could settle into being a .275-.280 hitter with 30-homer power.

Maybe in points leagues, his poor walk rate is enough to scare you away, but in Rotisserie, Cron should probably be starting at corner infield for someone.