MLB Player News

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores is off to a rough start offensively and defensively in 2015. However, one rival said the Mets should be patient with the 23-year-old infielder, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman.

"There are plenty of teams that would be happy to have Flores playing shortstop," the rival said.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is off to a stellar start in May. He has hit safely in each of his six appearances this month and has homered three times in that span.

Rizzo, however, has been on a pretty good run for nearly a month now. He has a .377/.495/.675/1.170 slash line over his last 21 games.

"He's just really good right now," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Rizzo, per MLB.com. "I think he's one of the top five best at-bats in all of baseball, if you want to look at it that way. At-bat per at-bat, this guy is engaged in every pitch, every pitch. He doesn't give anything away at any time.

"He's one of the few major league players who has a legitimate two-strike approach. It's something I've preached in the past; it's hard to get guys to do it. He has a legitimate two-strike plan, which is beautiful to watch."

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo drove in three runs to help lead the Cubs to a 6-5 win over the Cardinals on Wednesday.

Rizzo's big hit came when he connected on a two-run home run off Lance Lynn in the third inning. He finished the game 2 for 4 and is now batting .341 on the season.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard went 3 for 4 with a walk and a solo home run in his team's 7-5 loss to the Braves Wednesday.

Howard has struggled at the plate for most of the first month of the season, but he's 6 for 12 with a double, a triple and a home run in his last three games. His sixth-inning home run helped key a three-run frame for the Phillies, but they were unable to get any closer to tying the game. Howard has hit .220/.276/.462 with five home runs and 13 RBI in 91 at-bats.

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt went 2 for 5 with a home run, two RBI and one stolen base in his team's 5-1 win over the Rockies in Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader.

Goldschmidt came up hitless in five at-bats in Game 1 of the twin-bill as the teams combined for 20 runs, but he found his way on the scoreboard to help lead his team to a doubleheader sweep Wednesday. The first baseman has hit .340/.431/.610 with seven home runs, 24 RBI and six stolen bases in 100 at-bats.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto was ejected from Wednesday's game at Pittsburgh after he bumped an umpire, reports ESPN's Baseball Tonight.

Votto was 0 for 2 with one strikeout in the game before being ejected. It is his fifth career ejection.

Struggling first baseman Michael Morse was held out of the Marlins lineup for the second straight game on Wednesday. Morse hasn't recorded a hit since April 28, and will receive his fourth day off in the last five games.

Justin Bour, who has seven hits in 14 at-bats since being recalled on April 25, was the starting first baseman for the third straight day for manager Mike Redmond.

The Mets are committed to Wilmer Flores at shortstop, despite his seven errors in 27 games, and manager Terry Collins recently told him so, reports the New York Post.

“I told him today, ‘Fresh start, Day 1. Let’s get after it, and be the player we know you can be,'" Collins said.

Flores performed like that player Tuesday night, lashing a key double off the wall in left field as part of the Mets’ three-run fourth inning that led to a 3-2 victory over the Orioles at Citi Field.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo went 3 for 4 in Tuesday's loss to St. Louis. Rizzo extended his hitting streak to six games and lifted his batting average to .333.

Rizzo scored twice and hit his fifth double of the season.  

The Phillies were shut out on three hits by Atlanta on Tuesday. Ryan Howard contributed one of the few bright spots on offense with a double, for the team's only extra base hit of the night. 

Howard went 1 for 4, lifting his average to .195. He recorded his fifth double of the year.