MLB Player News

A lousy batting average can turn into a fine one in one game this time of the season. It certainly happened for Angels leadoff hitter Kole Calhoun on Tuesday night in Oakland.

His average soared from .222 to .293, courtesy of a solo home run in the seventh inning and three singles for his first four-hit game since July 10.

Calhoun singled in the first and singled and scored in the second and sixth innings before adding the finishing touches to his evening with the blast. He has scored eight runs in his last seven games.

After batting third every game this season, slumping Rays shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is absent from the Tuesday lineup against visiting Boston.

Cabrera opened the year with eight hits in 25 at-bats, but is 2 for 27 over the last seven games and has no extra-base hits since April 11.

Tim Beckham is starting at short instead.

With the recent struggles of Chris Carter, the Astros will start Marwin Gonzalez at first base and bat him seventh on Monday in Seattle. 

This is the third start of the year for Gonzalez, second at first base. 

In 10 at-bats this season, Gonzalez is 3 for 10 with a homer and a double.

Carter has begun the year 3 for 40 (.075 avg.) with no extra-base hits and has struck out 17 times.

"He's frustrated to the extent no one likes to get outs, but we're still at the very early stages, and he's done this before and come out of it," manager A.J. Hinch said, per MLB.com. "We believe he's going to be fine."

Rays shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera went just 2 for 27 with one walk and one RBI in seven games over the second week of the season.

Cabrera has been locked into the No. 3 spot in the batting order, but he'll likely need to start picking things up with the bat in order to stay in such a potentially productive position. He has hit just .192/.222/.250 in 52 at-bats.

Astros first baseman Chris Carter has struggled heavily during the first two weeks of the season, going 3 for 40 with no extra-base hits and striking out 17 times.

Carter has drawn four walks and scored one run but has managed just a .075/.159/.075 line. The righty slugger, who is prone to hitless stretches, could be on the verge of turning things around offensively, as the Astros are scheduled to face three lefty starters in a four-game span starting Wednesday. He has hit much better against lefties in 2014, posting a .244/.350/.519 line with 10 home runs in 135 at-bats.

Carter has also delivered quality career numbers at Safeco Field, where he's opening a three-game series Monday. The first baseman has hit .284/.370/.547 with seven home runs and 18 RBI in 95 at-bats against the Mariners on the road.

Indians first baseman Carlos Santana went 1 for 4 with a solo home run in his team's 7-2 loss to the Twins Sunday.

Santana's home run came in the top of the ninth inning, so it had no impact on the outcome of the game. It was his first extra-base hit in more than a week.

"They changed their approach," said Santana to Cleveland.com. "But we face them a lot this year so I'll have to change my approach to them. This is what happens in this league."

Santana has hit .244/.354/.415 with two home runs and seven RBI in 41 at-bats in 11 games.

Jose Abreu drove in the White Sox's only run of Sunday's loss to Detroit with an RBI triple in the sixth inning. 

Abreu went 1 for 3, raising his average to .256. He hit his first triple of the year and drove in his seventh run. 

White Sox designated hitter Jose Abreu delivered the crushing blow to the Tigers on Saturday with a fourth-inning grand slam.

The grand slam was Abreu's second of his career.

"I really like the feeling the guys have of all those professional at bats, just the consistency of that," manager Robin Ventura said to ESPN.com. "And doing it over and over again, the whole game it felt like that. They've been feeling this way for a while so it's the belief in that. That's the biggest thing for me is their belief in doing that."

Abreu also added a double in the game and went 3 for 6 overall.

Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun is back in the lineup for the Friday night game at Houston after missing four games with a calf ailment.

Calhoun, who is in his familiar leadoff spot, returns on a three-game hitting streak.

Jose Abreu could soon be adding another weapon to his already impressive list on the baseball field. The White Sox slugger has opened himself up to the possibility of playing third base.

Abreu, who handled the shortstop position at times in Cuba, has rotated with newcomer Adam LaRoche between first base and designated hitter. But 20 interleague games on the schedule has Abreu seeking to play some third base in order to keep his bat in the lineup. He has been taking ground balls at the hot corner in practice to prepare himself.

"If something is decided for the team to win, I will [play third base]," Abreu told ESPN. "I will do it."

That attitude has White Sox manager Robin Ventura singing his praises.

"It's one of the mature parts about him: It's not about personal gain or fame or anything like that," Ventura said. "He just wants to be a good baseball player and help his team win."