MLB Player News

Steer started at second base and went 1-for-4 with a walk, a home run and an additional run scored in Sunday's 15-7 loss to the Cubs.

Steer belted the second of back-to-back home runs in the first inning to give the Reds an early lead. The homer snapped a 21-game drought for Steer, who has 19 for the season. With news that Jonathan India (foot) will begin a rehab assignment this week, Steer should serve as the primary second baseman for another handful of games. He's appeared in 10 games at the keystone already, which may be enough to qualify as a middle infielder depending on a fantasy league's rules.

Guerrero went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's 7-5 win over the Rockies.

Guerrero's 21st home run came in the third and provided the Blue Jays with their initial run of the contest. He later just missed another home run by rocketing a single off the left-field wall in the fifth to drive in another run. Guerrero has now hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, batting .283 with three homers, 10 RBI and nine runs over that stretch. He is slashing .266/.341/.439 on the season over 583 plate appearances.

Walker (elbow) went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Sunday's 8-5 loss to the Orioles.

Walker entered the game as a pinch hitter for Jace Peterson in the sixth inning, and he went yard in the ninth in his second at-bat after staying in at first base. Given he was able to play three innings in the field, it's unlikely Walker's elbow contusion will keep him out of the starting lineup much longer, especially since X-rays came back negative Saturday night. The first baseman's blast was his 30th of the season and his second in three September games. He's added a .271/.348/.529 slash line with 90 RBI, 71 runs scored and eight stolen bases through 133 games.

Olson went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 3-1 loss to the Dodgers.

Olson went 0-for-13 with one walk and four strikeouts over the first three games of this weekend's series versus the Dodgers. He got off the schneid Sunday with a seventh-inning homer, but that was the extent of Atlanta's scoring. The first baseman is up to 44 homers -- 10 more than he had last year -- while adding 113 RBI, 104 runs scored, a stolen base, 24 doubles, three triples and a .266/.373/.581 slash line over 136 games.

Reds manager David Bell said Sunday that Votto (shoulder) is "going through his strengthening [program]" and "adding more hitting," but the Reds haven't yet pinpointed a target date for his return from the 10-day injured list, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Votto was first eligible to return from the IL on Sunday, but since he hasn't yet resumed full baseball activities, any potential return looks as though it'll be at least another week away. Christian Encarnacion-Strand should continue to serve as the Reds' primary first baseman while Votto remains on the shelf with a strained left shoulder.

Manager Rocco Baldelli said Sunday that Kirilloff (shoulder) isn't expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list during the Twins' three-game series in Cleveland that begins Monday, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Kirilloff has been on the shelf since July 30 with a right shoulder strain, but he looks to be closing in on a return to 100 percent health. He began a rehab assignment at Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday and has been dialed in at the dish through his first three games, going 5-for-13 with a home run, a double and two RBI. Kirilloff hasn't experienced a setback with the shoulder, but Baldelli said that he wants the 25-year-old to pick up some more at-bats in the minors in light of his month-long layoff. Kirilloff could be a candidate to return from the IL next weekend, at which point he may settle into the strong side of a platoon at first base with Donovan Solano.

Batten will start at third base and bat eighth in Sunday's game against the Giants.

Batten appears to have moved into the near-everyday lineup spot that was created when Jake Cronenworth (wrist) landed on the injured list Aug. 26. In addition to making one start at Cronenworth's usual post at second base, Batten has now picked up a pair of starts at third base and one at first base over the Padres' last four games. Manny Machado has been seeing more time at designated hitter of late as a result of Batten's addition to the Friars' infield mix.

Cooper is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Giants, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Cooper has been operating as San Diego's primary first baseman over the past couple weeks, and he's succeeded in the role with an .805 OPS in his last 11 games. Matt Carpenter will start at first and bat seventh for Sunday's series finale versus San Francisco.

Schanuel is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Schanuel's run of five consecutive starts will come to an end while the Angels give the lefty-hitting rookie a breather against Athletics southpaw Kyle Muller. Brandon Drury will spell Schnauel at first base and bat third in the series finale.

Montero will start at first base and bat sixth in Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

Montero will pick up his third consecutive start Sunday, this time facing off against right-hander Kevin Gausman after he had previously re-entered the lineup versus a pair of southpaws to begin the series with Toronto. Following his call-up from Triple-A Albuquerque last weekend, Hunter Goodman had displaced Montero as the team's everyday first baseman, but manager Bud Black has now deployed Goodman at designated hitter and in right field for the rookie's last two starts. With Michael Toglia now sitting out for a third straight game and Goodman getting looks elsewhere, Montero looks like he'll settle back in as the Rockies' primary first baseman. Montero enters Sunday's contest with a .417/.488/.694 slash line over his past 11 contests.