MLB Player News

Astros first baseman Chris Carter hit a two-run homer off Padres pitcher Odrisamer Despaigne during a 14-3 win Tuesday. He finished 2 for 3 with one walk.

Carter has hit safely in seven straight games. He is batting .346 (9 for 26) with one double, two home runs, six RBI, five runs, five walks and seven strikeouts in that span.

Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis, first baseman Carlos Santana and third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall all have a pretty good track record against Royals starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, who is on the hill Tuesday for Kansas City.

Kipins is batting .550 (11 for 20) with two home runs, three doubles and nine RBI in his career against Guthrie. While Santana is batting .476 (10 for 21) with two home runs, three doubles and four RBI, and Chisenhall is batting .533 (8 for 15) with one double, one home run and five RBI against the veteran right-hander.

The Angels flip-flopped positions for two regulars on Sunday. Albert Pujols, who has started at first base in 17 of the team's 18 games, will play designated hitter. 

C.J. Cron, who has 13 starts at DH, will play first base. 

The Angels are -144 favorites at home against Texas. 

When the season began, Angels designated hitter C.J. Cron couldn't buy a hit. Not he's pretty much hitting every other game. When he starts hitting every day, he'll truly be hot.

For now, he's lukewarm. But he did peak with a 3-for-4 performance Friday night against Texas. Cron doubled, singled twice and scored in the fourth to raise his average over .200 for the first time.

He has hit safely in just five of his last eight games, but managed multiple hits in three of them and has three doubles during that stretch.

Indians first baseman Carlos Santana drove in two runs in Friday's win over Detroit. Santana went 1 for 3 with a double and two walks. He scored three times and increased his average to .222 with 10 RBI. 

Astros DH Evan Gattis is not listed in the team's starting lineup for Saturday's game at Oakland. After 11 straight starts at DH, Gattis heads to the bench, replaced at DH by first baseman Chris Carter. 

Marwin Gonzalez gets his third start of the year at first base, batting eighth in the lineup. 

The Astros are +105 money line underdogs at Oakland. 

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu gave the front office and coaching staff a scare Friday when he did a body slam into the infield dirt following a rundown in the third inning. Abreu laid motionless for a few moments after tripping over Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar at second base.

“When he ran down, I think he landed on the foot of the base on his ribs,” manager Robin Ventura said, per ESPN. “It kind of knocked the wind out him, and it was cold. At first I thought it was his wrist or something like that. I think there were a lot of things going on at the same time.”

Ventura added he had "a heart attack" when he saw his star first baseman lying on the ground.

“I'm just glad he's fine. Once he got over that, you could tell he was fine," Ventura said.

Abreu, who stayed in the game, went 2 for 4 before the game was suspended after eight innings due to inclement weather. It is expected to resume Saturday afternoon.

The 2014 AL Rookie of the Year is batting .317 with five home runs and 13 RBI.

With the Angels facing Texas lefthander Wandy Rodriguez on Friday, left fielder Matt Joyce is out of the starting lineup. 

Joyce has faced southpaws in just three of his 52 plate appearances this season. Collin Cowgill gets the start in left, batting seventh in the lineup. C.J. Cron is the DH, batting sixth. 

The Angels are -180 money line favorites against visiting Texas. 

Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun went 1 for 4 with a two-run home run to provide the only offense in his team's 2-0 win over the A's Thursday.

Calhoun's home run, which came in the third inning, was the only hit allowed by Oakland starter Jesse Chavez. The right fielder has hit .271/.314/.542 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 48 at-bats.

Astros first baseman Chris Carter showed signs of coming out of his early-season funk Wednesday, going 2 for 4 with his first home run of the season in his team's 3-2 loss to the Mariners.

"I finally got a couple hits and got the first [homer] out of the way," Carter said after the game, per MLB.com. "In that situation [in the eighth], that's a game-changing situation. I've got to come up with something there instead of striking out."

Carter was just 3 for 42 entering play Tuesday but is 3 for 7 with two walks, one home run and two RBI in his last two games.

"He swung the bat very well today," manager A.J. Hinch said Wednesday. "The base hit early in the game, the home run late. He's going to contribute. Obviously, it's going to take a while for things to even out for him. Chris Carter will be a productive player for us."

Carter will look to build on his recent success when the Astros open a three-game series in Oakland against the A's Friday.