MLB Player News

A matchup against tough Braves left-hander Alex Wood has Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard sitting Thursday. Catcher Carlos Ruiz is merely getting the day off after a Wednesday night game.

Howard is just 3 for 17 against southpaws this season. Ruiz has hit safely in five of his last six games, but owns a disappointing average of .233 and slugging percentage of .326 on the year.

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt went 2 for 4 with a double and a home run in his team's 5-2 loss to the Mets Wednesday.

It was the eighth double and third home run of the season for Goldschmidt, who is following up his breakout 2013 season with an excellent April. He has hit .338/.392/.577 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 71 at-bats.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto hit a two-run, two-out homer off Francisco Liriano in the seventh inning of Wednesday's 3-0 win vs. Pittsburgh. Votto finished 1 for 3 with one walk and two strikeouts.

Votto hit his fourth home run a day after collecting a season-high four hits Tuesday. All of Votto's home runs have come during a six-game hitting streak. He is batting .450 (9 for 20) with eight RBI in his last six games.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto went 4 for 4 with one run and one RBI in his team's 7-5 win over the Pirates Tuesday. Votto's in the midst of a five-game hitting streak, and he now owns a .327 batting average in 51 at-bats.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman clubbed his fourth home run Sunday against the Nationals.

Freeman wasted no time getting to work against Washington. He hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning, and followed that up with a two-run homer in the second. He was later hit by a pitch, and doubled in another run.

Freeman finished 2 for 3, with two runs scored and four RBI.

Bryan Price received a thumbs-up from Joey Votto well before the slugger was planted in the second spot of the lineup for the Reds on Saturday against Tampa Bay, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Price broached the possibility in spring training with Votto, who was in favor of the move. His patience at the plate and propensity to take walks has made him a viable candidate. Votto walked 135 times and scored 101 runs last season while driving in just 73. He has only two RBI this year.

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt went 0 for 4 and struck out twice in his team's 6-0 loss to the Dodgers Friday.

It was just the second hitless performance of the season for Goldschmidt, who owns an excellent .340/.404/.580 line with two home runs and eight RBI in 57 at-bats. He's played every inning of the season at first base while batting third in each game for the Diamondbacks.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard went 1 for 2 with two walks and two runs in Friday's 6-3 win over the Marlins.

Normally a strikeout machine, Howard has drawn four walks without striking out once over his last two games. The last time the first baseman posted consecutive multiwalk games came all the way back in September 2011. He has hit .216/.356/.351 with one home run, four RBI and a 13:8 K:BB ratio in 37 at-bats.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto has been slotted into the second spot of the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Rays.

It's the first time since 2008 that Votto has been placed in the No. 2 spot to begin a game, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. Typical No. 2 hitter Brandon Phillips has slid down one spot into Votto's usual place in the lineup.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo continued his strong play Wednesday against the Pirates, with his fourth multi-hit game in a row in a 7-5 win.

Rizzo had a season-high four hits, including his second and third extra-base hits with a pair of double. He drove in just one run, though he did score twice while finishing the game 4 for 5.

Rizzo opened the season with an 0-for-4 game, but has gone hitless just once since. He is hitting .375 with five RBI and five runs scored in eight at-bats.