MLB Player News

Cronenworth went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a run in Tuesday's 5-4 win over the Cubs.

The three hits were a new season-high total for Cronenworth, who had been hitting just .172 in May before Tuesday's eruption at the dish. He'll be back in the lineup Wednesday for the series finale with Chicago, manning second base and batting leadoff.

Votto (illness) will likely require a rehab assignment before joining the Reds, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Votto has been on the COVID-19 injured list since May 3, and manager David Bell said Wednesday that the 38-year-old isn't yet back with the team. Bell hinted at the possibility of Votto missing the team's road trip to Toronto next weekend, so it's possible he'll be unavailable until sometime in late May. Colin Moran should continue to see most of the playing time at first base while Votto is sidelined.

Naylor went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the White Sox.

It's no eight-RBI performance like Monday, but Naylor is locked in at the plate. His seventh-inning blast off White Sox starter Lucas Giolito was the Guardians' lone run in the contest. Naylor's power surge has lifted his slugging percentage from .460 to .611 in the last two games, though it's still relatively early in the season. He's up to five long balls, 22 RBI, 10 runs scored and four doubles through 77 plate appearances. The 24-year-old's strong play has likely strengthened his grip on a starting role at first base.

Flores was scratched from the lineup Tuesday against the Rockies due to lower-back tightness, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Flores was penciled in to make his fourth straight start at third base Tuesday, but he's instead out of the lineup with the back issue. He should be considered day-to-day for now, while Mauricio Dubon will take Flores' place at the hot corner.

Vaughn (hand) is scheduled to report to Triple-A Charlotte to begin a rehab assignment Wednesday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Vaughn recently received a cortisone shot for the bruised right hand that resulted in his placement on the 10-day injured list last week, and the injection apparently had the desired effect. Manager Tony La Russa said Vaughn will play a couple games in Charlotte, and if all goes well, he could come off the IL as soon as Friday.

Voit (biceps) was activated off the 10-day injured list Tuesday.

The 31-year-old landed on the shelf April 23 with a biceps tendon injury and will rejoin the big-league roster after a five-game rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso. Voit went 0-for-18 with 12 strikeouts during the rehab stint, which isn't a great sign given his .143/.315/.167 slash line and 31.5 percent strikeout rate prior to the injury. The veteran slugger may need to get on track quickly in order to maintain a regular spot in San Diego's lineup.

Smith is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals.

The lefty-hitting Smith will cede designated-hitter duties to the righty-hitting J.D. Davis, who receives the starting nod with southpaw Patrick Corbin on the hill for Washington.

O'Hearn is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rangers.

O'Hearn had started at first base or designated hitter in four of the Royals' last five games, going 2-for-13 with two RBI and a run. With a southpaw (Martin Perez) on the mound for Texas, the lefty-hitting O'Hearn will cede his spot in the lineup to the righty-hitting Emmanuel Rivera, who will handle DH duties.

Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said the Red Sox want Casas to be at Triple-A long enough for pitchers to get a chance to adjust to him so that he can make adjustments of his own, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. "One of the things about the game today more than at any point maybe ever, certainly at any point I've been in it, is when you get to the major leagues, there is already a book on you," Bloom said. "And you will get attacked the way you should be attacked from pitch one. So going through that period of making those adjustments is really important."

Casas, who bats left-handed, is hitting .154/.267/.192 with 11 strikeouts in 30 plate appearances against left-handed pitching at Triple-A this year, and Bloom noted his struggles against same-handed pitching. The Red Sox obviously want Casas to have a good chance of staying up with the big club whenever he does get the call, so while Bobby Dalbec has already been worth -0.5 fWAR through 26 games, they won't be bringing up Casas just because he has strong surface stats and plays the same position as Dalbec.

Hoskins went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI in Monday's 9-0 win over the Mariners.

He took Chris Flexen deep in the second inning for a solo shot before wrapping up the scoring on the night with an RBI single in the seventh. Hoskins had gone just 5-for-29 (.128) over his prior 10 games, and on the season the 29-year-old has stumbled to a .210/.304/.390 slash line with three homers and 11 RBI in 28 contests.