MLB Player News

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."

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt went 1 for 4 with a two-run home run in his team's 6-4 loss to the Dodgers Saturday.

Goldschmidt extended his hitting streak to eight games with his home run, which was his third home run during the current streak. He has hit .309/.373/.560 with 14 home runs and 50 RBI in 275 at-bats.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto is playing at less than 100 percent, according to MLB Network Radio. 

"I don't think he's 100 percent, but I think he's being a warrior out there and we need him," third baseman Todd Frazier told the station. Votto has picked up four hits in three games since his return. He's hitting .267/.416/.459 over 146 at-bats.

Astros designated hitter Chris Carter played the role of a hero Thursday night in extras against the Diamondbacks.

Carter belted a walkoff solo home run in the 11th inning off J.J. Putz. He finished 1 for 5 with one run scored and one RBI in a 5-4 victory. He is hitting .199 with 13 homers and 30 RBI in 196 at-bats.

Chris Carter's two homers Wednesday give him six in his last 13 games, which would normally be a good thing. But not when those homers are six of only eight hits during that stretch, accounting for a .229 (8 for 35) batting average.

Carter has become the game's preeminent all-or-nothing hitter. He swings hard and usually misses, but when he gets a hold of one, it goes a long way. He hit .223 with 29 home runs last year, and the way things are shaping up this year, that may be the best-case scenario for him.

So what is that player worth in Fantasy? In Head-to-Head leagues -- at least ones of standard size -- close to nothing. When he's cold, he's positively useless, and taking a zero (or maybe 5-10, given his above-average walk rate) from a player for weeks at a time is one way to pile up losses. Even in Rotisserie leagues, it takes a special set of circumstances to use him. You need to be firmly committed to him, sticking with him through all the miserable weeks so you don't miss out on stretches like this one, and willing to take your lumps in batting average.

I know home runs are rare these days, but not enough for all that.

After a terrible start to his contract year, Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera has gained consistency and production.

Cabrera bottomed out at .205 on May 6, but has 36 hits in 118 at-bats since for a .305 mark. He has scored 26 runs in 29 games during that stretch and has sweetened his stat line to .255/.324/.400.

His range and dependability on defense, however, has been weak and it remains to be seen if he will be dealt at the trading deadline to make room for promising minor leaguer Francisco Lindor. Much could depend on whether Cleveland remains in contention for a playoff spot or division title.

White Sox slugger Jose Abreu did what he's been doing much of the season Wednesday night - he slugged a home run to help his team win.

Abreu deposited a Justin Verlander pitch 412 feet into the stands in the second inning and added two more hits and a walk in a runaway victory. His stat line now stands at an impressive .270/.323/.627. That slugging percentage ranks second in the majors.

Marlins designated hitter Justin Bour was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans after Wednesday's loss to the Rangers.

Bour made four appearances while with the Marlins, going 5 for 13 with one walk and two RBI. He returns to a .330/.407/.562 line with nine home runs and 36 RBI in 203 at-bats with New Orleans.

Astros designated hitter Chris Carter couldn't push his average to the Mendoza Line on Wednesday night, but he did hit two over the fence to key a win over Arizona.

Carter ended the night at .199 after smashing solo home runs off Brandon McCarthy in the fourth and seventh innings. A total of 24 of his 38 hits this season have been for extra bases, including 12 taters.