MLB Player News

Reds first baseman Joey Votto doubled, walked and drove in two runs during Wednesday's 4-1 win at San Diego. After managing one multi-hit game in his first 18 July appearances, Votto finished with four multi-hit games in his last nine July games.

Votto hit a season-low .287 in July and also had a season-low two home runs. However, he managed at least 20 walks for the third time in four months. Votto also had a season-high eight doubles in July. He also had one triple, 11 RBI and 17 runs in 27 games.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo doubled and hit a two-run homer during Wednesday's game against the Brewers. He's batting .412 (7 for 17) with one home run, two RBI, two runs and four walks in his last five games.

"I just have been hitting the ball well for a little while now," Rizzo said, per ESPN. "I have been putting good swings on the ball and taking the walks have been a big plus as well." 

Rizzo hit .210 in July, but he managed at least 12 RBI for the fourth straight month. He's hit better than .231 just once this season, batting a season-best .295 in May.

"This has been an ever-going process," Rizzo said. "You just have to show up every day and prepare. I just try to grind the at-bats out and go from there."

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman followed up his two RBI game Tuesday with another big performance Wednesday against the Rockies.

Freeman went 4 for 4 with four singles, while reaching base a fifth time via walk. He drove in two runs and scored two more, while finishing the month of July with five runs scored and six RBI in his final two games.

Freeman batted .315 in the month of July, with four home runs, 18 RBI and 19 runs scored in 92 at-bats. 

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman enjoyed a monster night at the plate as he homered twice and drove in four runs against the Rockies Tuesday night.

Freeman unleashed a solo home run off start Juan Nicasio in the opening frame and hit a three-run shot off Edgmer Escalona in the seventh inning to extend the lead for Atlanta. He finished 2 for 4 with a walk, three runs scored and four RBI in an 11-3 victory. He has a .301/.379/.477 slash line with 13 homers and 69 RBI in 352 at-bats.

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt remained in the starting lineup Sunday against the Padres, despite manager Kirk Gibson hinting Saturday he would rest the All-Star first baseman. Goldschmidt entered Saturday mired in a 0-for-9 slump in his previous two games before clubbing his 23rd home run.

Goldschmidt has just two hits in his last four games, but both of those hits have been home runs. He has eight RBI and nine walks in his last seven games.

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said Saturday that first baseman Paul Goldschmidt may be given Sunday off to give him two days of rest, including Monday's scheduled off day, MLB.com reports.

Goldschmidt is 7 for 29 with one home run, six RBI and eight walks since the All-Star break, playing every inning at first base before being rested late in Friday's 10-0 win over the Padres.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman hit a solo home run off Mets rookie Zack Wheeler and finished 2 for 3 with two runs and one walk Thursday. It was only Freeman's second home run in July.

Freeman is batting .286 (6 for 21) with two home runs and four RBI in seven games since the All-Star break.

With the demotion of Derek Dietrich to the minors, Marlins infielder Donovan Solano takes over again as the starting second baseman.

"I know I can do good things," Solano said, per the Sun-Sentinel. "Any ballplayer that plays regularly would find himself in a better position to do good things. I'll keep doing what I've always done, staying focused on my job, working hard and leaving everything in God's hands so things come out well."

Prior to going on the disabled list with an oblique injury in early May, Solano was hitting .278. He was optioned to the minors once healthy and hit just .150 in his first 11 games (three starts) when he was recalled in early July. Solano has collected five hits in his last two games -- both starts.

"When he went on the DL he was probably our hottest hitter and we really haven't had a chance to get him back in the lineup and get him going," manager Mike Redmond said. "It was tough for Solano. The role he was in, we weren't getting much out of him. He needs to play and get extended at-bats. He's going to get an opportunity to get extended playing time. He's going to play second. He'll probably play some third. We'll probably mix and match him and [Ed] Lucas. It's good to have that versatility."

Reds first baseman Joey Votto had two hits (one triple), two runs and two RBI Wednesday against the Giants. It was his second straight multi-hit game and third in July.

Despite the low number of multi-hit games in July, Votto is batting .290 (20 for 69) this month. He also has one triple, two home runs, four doubles, nine RBI, 16 runs and 16 walks in 20 games.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo produced an RBI for the fourth time in six games Wednesday against the Diamondbacks. In six games since the All-Star break, Rizzo is batting .261 (6 for 23) with one home run, two doubles, four RBI, five runs and six walks.