MLB Player News

Marlins second baseman Donovan Solano is expected to be placed on the 15-day disabled list with discomfort in his left side.

Manager Mike Redmond told MLB.com the 25-year-old has an intercostal issue.

"He's no better. He's the same," Redmond said Monday. "We're going to have to figure out what we're going to do. We're playing short-handed a lot. He can go out there and play defense, but he cannot turn it loose swinging the bat. We're going to have to figure it out, and we may have to make a move."

Marlins second baseman Donovan Solano was out of the lineup for a third-straight game Monday night against the Padres. He has been dealing with lingering tightness in his left side.

Solano has a six-game hitting streak and has gone 10 for 26 (.385) with a homer and three RBI over that span.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman finished a triple shy of the cycle and drove in three runs during a 9-4 rout of the Mets Sunday. He went 3 for 5 with a solo homer off Jeurys Familia in the sixth inning -- his second of the season and first since returning from the disabled list.

Freeman has now registered a hit in three consecutive games to improve his season average to .313. He has collected three RBI in four separate outings on the year.

Marlins second baseman Donovan Solano remained out of the lineup for Sunday's game at Philadelphia due to lingering tightness in his left side. Solano was also sidelined Saturday with the issue, and was replaced at second base by Chris Valaika.

It seems Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard should draw more walks since the recent correlation has related in more home runs for the veteran slugger.

In case you haven't noticed, but Howard has drawn a walk in just two of his last 19 games. However, in both those games -- Thursday and Friday against the Marlins -- Howard hit home runs.

Whether or not that's pure coincidence or Howard being a more patient hitter will result in more home runs, you can't really argue with his results lately. After batting .161 through his first eight games, Howard has a slash line of .329/.354/.605/.959 in his last 21 games.

The high strikeout rate is going to hurt in Head-to-Head formats, but if he keeps this pace up, then it's possible Howard could threaten for a 30-homer, 100-RBI season. I definitely was getting impatient when Howard got off to a sluggish start, but now my concerns have died down and I think they have for most Fantasy owners as well.

Marlins second baseman Donovan Solano was scratched from the lineup for Saturday's contest against the Phillies due to tightness in his left side.

Solano is hitting .278 with one home run and five RBI in 108 at-bats. He was replaced by Chris Valaika at second.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard hit a double and a home run as part of a 2-for-3 night that also featured a walk. It was Howard's second home run in as many days, giving him five on the season.

Howard's .288 bating average represents a high mark for the season. He'll try and keep his power binge going as the series against the Marlins continues into the weekend.

Marlins second baseman Donovan Solano hit his first home run of the season Friday, representing his team's only scoring in his team's 4-1 loss to the Phillies. He also added a single to raise his season line to .278/.333/.324 in 118 plate appearances.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo extended his hitting streak to four games during a 6-5 loss to Cincinnati Friday. Rizzo finished 3 for 4 with a double and a run scored as he collected three hits for the second time during his four-game hot stretch to lift his batting average to .243 on the season.

Joey Votto tied for the NL lead in walks last year, with 94. The Reds first baseman also finished second in the league in doubles, with 44. He did this while missing 51 games.

This year, Votto ranks eighth in Points among first basemen. He is again tied for the league lead in walks, while hitting .292. He's a bit off in his doubles (three) and home run (four) pace, which can be looked at two ways: either, at 29 years old, Votto has suddenly lost the power part of his game (highly unlikely), or Votto is due for a power explosion very soon, to bring his numbers up to the levels we've expected from him. From 2009-2011, Votto averaged 30 home runs and 38 doubles a year, while hitting .318. This slow start can be attributed to him shaking off rust and getting his timing back (in his last 12 games, Votto is hitting .321 with three home runs and two doubles).  

If someone in your Points league is treating Votto like a top 10 first baseman instead of a top three first baseman, it may be time to poke around and see what it would take to pry him loose.