MLB Player News

Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals.

Calhoun went 2 for 4 with a double, a home run and three RBI Saturday. The Angels will use shortstop Erick Aybar as the leadoff man with Calhoun on the bench, and Collin Cowgill will play right field and bat seventh Sunday. The Angels are also starting Taylor Featherston over Johnny Giavotella at second base.

The Angels are favorites (-115) against the Royals Sunday.

Astros first baseman Chris Carter is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.

Carter has had trouble getting things going in the first week of the season, and he's just 1 for 19 with one walk and eight strikeouts. The team will start Marwin Gonzalez at first base Sunday.

The Astros are road favorites (-120) against the Rangers Sunday.

Indians catcher Brett Hayes will join the major-league roster Tuesday to serve as the team's backup catcher while Yan Gomes recovers from a knee sprain, MLB.com reports.

Hayes hit just .135/.151/.212 in 52 at-bats with the Royals last season. First baseman Carlos Santana will be the team's emergency catcher Sunday if Roberto Perez can't go the full game.

Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun hit the second pitch of the game for a leadoff home run in Saturday's 6-4 loss to Kansas City. 

Calhoun went two for four, scoring twice and driving in three. In addition to his first homer, he hit his second double of the year. The performance lifted his average to .200 on the season. 

Angels outfielder Matt Joyce was given the night off against Kansas City left-hander Jason Vargas. It's the second time this season he's been given a game off against a southpaw. Joyce has just one hit in his first eight at-bats this season.

"He's going to do it [hit against lefties]," hitting coach Baylor said of Joyce, per the Orange County Register. "He's going to be an important factor for us, no doubt. He's got too good of a swing."

Collin Cowgill took his spot in left field and is batting eighth. Meanwhile, David Freese will bat in the cleanup spot, with C.J. Cron fifth.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch chose to roll with Jonathan Villar at third base and Robbie Grossman in left field Friday night against left-hander Derek Holland and the Rangers, per MLB.com. Luis Valbuena and Colby Rasmus received a day off against the southpaw.

Hinch also flip-flopped struggling DH Evan Gattis and Chris Carter in the batting order. Gattis has started his stint with the Astros 0 for 11 with eighth strikeouts. He will hit fifth, while Carter will move to the cleanup spot.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley returned to the starting lineup and is batting third, behind Jason Kipnis and ahead of Carlos Santana on Friday against the Tigers, according to the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

Brantley was sidelined the previous two games with lower back stiffness. He has been held without a hit in four at-bats this season.

Manager Terry Francona told reporters he may sprinkle in some off days for Brantley in the near future after the outfielder acknowledged he's still experiencing some lower back discomfort, per MLB.com.

"We'll keep an eye on him," Francona said. "If he needs a day off or something, we can certainly do that. But we don't ever want to turn something that could be a day or two into two weeks. But it's nice having him in the lineup, that's for sure."

Astros slugger Chris Carter started all three games in the season-opening series against the Indians. Unfortunately, Carter didn't have a whole lot of luck offensively.

Carter, who hit 37 home runs in 2014, was hitless in 11 at-bats against the Indians. He struck out four times, including three strikeouts Thursday. 

Slow starts are nothing new for Carter, who has a career .181 average during the first month of the baseball season. In 2014, he hit .153 with three home runs, six doubles, eight RBI and 37 strikeouts in 26 games in April.

Indians first baseman Carlos Santana connected for his first home run Wednesday against the Astros. While hitting a home run isn't big news for Santana, who has 99 career home runs, hitting one Wednesday was significant because it was his birthday.

"This is not new for me," Santana said, per MLB.com. "Every year I try to get a home run for my birthday."

Santana has a knack for stepping up offensively on his birthday. Dating back to 2009 when he was with Double-A Akron, Santana has hit .444 (12 for 27) with six home runs and 14 RBI on his birthday, per MLB.com. 

"This is a special day for me," Santana said.

Indians first baseman Carlos Santana went 1 for 4 with a solo home run in his team's 2-0 win over the Astros Wednesday.

Santana broke a scoreless tie with his fourth-inning homer, and it was all the offense the Indians would end up needing on the back of starter Carlos Carrasco. Santana is 2 for 7 in his first two games after hitting .231/.365/.427 with 27 home runs in 541 at-bats last season.