MLB Player News

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu hit a solo home run in the third inning for the only run in a 1-0 win over Baltimore. 

Abreu hit his 14th homer of the year and drove in his 44th run. It was just his second homer and fifth RBI since June 13. 

Monumental struggles at the plate and a battle in a National League park have Indians first baseman Carlos Santana out of the lineup Friday night in Pittsburgh. Brandon Moss will play the position instead.

Santana continues to confound with his keen eye and inability to make consistent solid contact. He ranks second in the American League with 54 walks, yet is batting just .211 with 55 strikeouts in 256 at-bats.

Astros first baseman Chris Carter homered for the third time in five games during a 6-5 win Wednesday against the Royals. 

Carter got the Astros on the board with a solo home run off Edinson Volquez in the fourth inning. He added an RBI on a fielder's choice in the seventh inning.

Since June 3, Carter is batting .200 (18 for 90) with a .511 slugging percentage, .841 OPS, seven doubles, seven home runs, 13 RBI, 15 runs, 14 walks, 35 strikeouts and one stolen base in his last 27 games.

Rays shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera went 1 for 2 with a walk in Tuesday's loss to Cleveland. 

Cabrera drove in the Rays' only run of the game, his 20th of the year and third in the last three days. 

Cabrera has hit in four of his last five games and is 9 for his last 18. He also had his 12th double of the year and third in the last five games. 

Angels first baseman C.J. Cron connected off CC Sabathia in the seventh inning for his second home run of the season during Monday's 4-1 win over the Yankees.

The solo shot was his only hit in three at-bats during the contest. Cron was recalled Monday. Prior to the game, Cron was hitting .150 with no extra-base hits in his last nine games.

Astros first baseman Chris Carter connected off Brandon Finnegan in the fifth inning for his 14th home run of the season during Monday's 6-1 win over the Royals.

The solo shot was his only hit in four at-bats during the game. He also struck out twice.

Prior to Monday's win, Carter was hitting .182 with two home runs and six RBI in his last 11 games.

Struggling Indians first baseman Carlos Santana is the subject of a plea from Terry Francona, who was hoping for far more production.

Santana has endured a long first-half slump for the second straight season. He was hitless in the Sunday doubleheader in weakening his average to .211. It has not been lower all season.

"It's kind of confounding," Francona told MLB.com. "He's a better hitter than what he's shown. We all know that. I don't think I'm overstating it. We desperately need him. He's kind of that connector because he's a switch-hitter and he can be right in the middle and, with his on-base skills, there's just so much he can do when he's going more towards himself than what's been happening."

Santana was at least leading the American League in walks, which has resulted in a .372 on-base percentage. But even those have dried up - he has just two in the last 10 games.

The Angels have called up first baseman C.J. Cron in time to face Yankees left-hander C.C. Sabathia on Monday.

Cron spent much of this season in the big leagues before going down on June 14 after a 3-for-20 slide. He finished his first stint with the Angels sporting a poor slash line of .204/.237/.269.

Orioles first baseman/right fielder Chris Parmelee sat for just the second time in 13 games since his promotion from the minors on Monday against the Rangers.

Parmelee played in both games of Sunday's doubleheader against the Indians. He homered in the second game.

He is batting .302 with one triple, four doubles, four home runs and six RBI in 12 games since being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. However, he has struck out 13 times, which has included two strikeouts in each of his last five games.

Orioles first baseman Chris Parmelee continued his recent hot streak at the plate during Sunday's win over the Indians.

Parmelee went 1 for 4 with two RBI in the game.

Over his last five games, Parmelee is hitting .333 with seven hits, four doubles and two RBI.