MLB Player News

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores went 2 for 4 at the plate in New York's 3-2 win over the Braves Wednesday. Flores found success early, picking up an RBI single in the second inning to score Eric Campbell.

Then in the seventh, Flores ripped an 0-1 pitch from Cody Martin over the left center field wall for a solo home run, his third of the season. Flores is now hitting .273 with seven RBI in 44 at-bats.

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores singled twice Tuesday vs. Atlanta, giving him multiple hits in back-to-back games for the first time this season. 

Flores has hit safely in six of his last seven games after batting .125 through his first five games. He is batting .333 (8 for 24) with one double, two home runs, five RBI and six runs in his last seven games.

Flores is doing most of his damage against right-handed pitchers. He is batting .265 with two home runs and five RBI against righties, as opposed to .167 with one double against lefties.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo went 2 for 4 at the plate in Chicago's 9-8 win over the Pirates Tuesday. Rizzo, who was also hit by a pitch, singled twice and scored two runs in the contest. 

Rizzo is swinging a hot bat to start the season, posting a .302/.475/.395 slash line in 43 at-bats to start the year. In five games batting from the two slot, Rizzo 6 for 19 with a home run and three RBI.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto uncorked his sixth home run of the season during Tuesday night's 16-10 win over the Brewers in Milwaukee.

Votto took Tyler Thornburg deep in the top of the sixth inning for a solo home run. He added a single and reached base three times. He finished 2 for 5 with a walk, three runs scored, a home run and an RBI. He is hitting .377/.492/.792 on the year.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the sixth inning to lead Philadelphia to a win over Miami.

Howard went 2 for 3 with a walk. He lifted his average to .208 and recorded his first home run and fourth RBI. 

''It feels good,'' Howard said. ''That's baseball. Sometimes the wind's blowing in, sometimes the wind's blowing out. You keep swinging, and they'll go. They'll do what they're supposed to do.''

Reds first baseman Joey Votto went 2 for 4 at the plate Monday in Cincinnati's 6-1 win over the Brewers.

Votto struggled in his first two at-bats but was able to reach base in the sixth with a single. He was called out at home when trying to score on a grounder in the infield with the bases loaded. Votto then crushed the first pitch he saw from Wily Peralta over the left center field wall for a two-run blast, scoring Billy Hamilton.

It was Votto's fifth home run and 12th RBI of the year, leading the team in all offensive categories.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto has quickly put a rocky 2014 season in the rearview mirror, hitting .364/.481/.727 with four home runs and 10 RBI in 44 at-bats.

Votto has built his hot start on the back of his multihit performances, as the first baseman has picked up multiple hits in seven of his first 12 games, including twice in the team's recent three-game series against the Cardinals. Unfortnately, the Reds were swept by their division rivals this weekend and have lost seven of their last eight games. Cincinnati will look to turn things around in a four-game series in Milwaukee that starts Monday.

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt connected for his fifth home run of the season on Sunday, pulling even with the Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez for the lead in the National League.

Goldschmidt went 1 for 3 with two runs scored in the D-Backs' win.

Mets left fielder Michael Cuddyer and shortstop Wilmer Flores are not in the starting lineup for Sunday's matchup with the Marlins.

It's just the second time on the bench this season for both players. Kirk Nieuwenhuis will bat seventh and play left field, while Ruben Tejada will bat eighth and play shortstop. The break for both starters comes even though the team is also off Monday.

"You've just got to understand that we've still got 150 to go, and we need those guys to stay as healthy as you can," manager Terry Collins said before the game, per ESPN New York.

The Mets are heavy favorites (-200) against the Marlins Sunday.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman is serving as the team's designated hitter for Sunday's series finale against the Blue Jays in Toronto.

The Braves have mixed and matched at designated hitter during the series in Toronto, using Chris Johnson and Nick Markakis there in the team's first two days. Catcher Christian Bethancourt is also back in the lineup Sunday after sitting out the team's first two games of the series.

The Braves are underdogs (+135) against the Blue Jays Sunday.