MLB Player News

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is out of the starting lineup Wednesday against the Pirates, due to lingering soreness in his knees. Howard was spotted limping after Tuesday's game, and manager Charlie Manuel opted to keep him out of the lineup to rest from his chronic knee pain, the 13th time he has been out of the starting lineup.

"I can about look at him and tell it’s bothering him by the way he walks," Manuel told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "That (first to home) is a hard run for him and his knee is worse some days than others."

Manuel also said he will likely continue to sit Howard against tough left-handed pitchers, such as Pittsburgh's Jeff Locke, as long as his knee remains a lingering concern. Howard should be back in the lineup Thursday, and hopes to play all three games during a weekend series against Atlanta.

"When Ryan’s knee is bothering him and a lefty is pitching, I think that’s a good time to give him a blow," Manuel said. "That’s kind of what we’ve been doing. When he gets going good, we’ll put him back in there."

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel told MLB Network Radio Wednesday he still plans to ease first baseman Ryan Howard back into the lineup when a left-handed starter is on the hill. Howard is mired in a 2-for-22 slump in his last six games and is batting .171 against left-handed pitchers this season.

"I'm going to work him back in against left-handed pitchers," Manuel said. "His knee is a little sore, but eventually we'll turn him back loose against righties and lefties."

Marlins second baseman Donovan Solano has been recalled Tuesday from Triple-A New Orleans. 

Solano had 108 at-bats earlier in the year for the Marlins, hitting .278/.333/.324. Solano hit .388/.414/.538 in 80 Triple-A at-bats, prompting his call-up. 

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt knocked his 20th home run of the season in Monday's loss to the Mets.

Goldschmidt's home run, a two-run shot, was his only hit in six at-bats. He also struck out four times. Still, Goldschmidt is hitting .303/.382/.557 and is on pace for 40 home runs and well over 100 RBI (he recorded his 68th and 69th Monday).

The Marlins recalled infielder Donovan Solano from Triple-A New Orleans, MLB.com reports. Solano struggled to hit for power with the Marlins, as he had a home run and two doubles in 30 games. However, he mashed six extra-base hits including two home runs in 17 games with New Orleans, where he was hitting .379/.411/.545 in 66 at-bats.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard was back in the starting lineup Sunday, but it does not appear as if his two-game mental break did much good.

Howard was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in a 6-1 loss to the Dodgers. He is 0 for 20 with seven strikeouts over his last three games, lowering has batting average to .264. 

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman connected for a three-run homer off Diamondbacks starting pitcher Trevor Cahill during Sunday's 6-2 win. It was Freeman's ninth home run and second in as many days.

Freeman finished 2 for 5 for his first multi-hit game in eight starts and his second in his last 12. Freeman hit .195 (8 for 41) with two home runs and five RBI in his last 12 games in June.

After getting two days off for a mental break, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard returned to the lineup as expected Sunday against the Dodgers. Howard enters play Sunday mired in a 0-for-14 slump in his last four games (three starts).

Despite the mini-slide, Howard is batting .298 (25 for 84) with a .536 slugging percentage, .922 OPS, two triples, three home runs, seven doubles, 11 runs, 12 walks and 15 RBI in 25 June games.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who went 2 for 5 with a walk and his 15th double in Saturday's 6-4 win over the Rangers, committed two errors -- one fielding and one throwing -- to give him 10 errors through 80 games.

Votto had just 12 errors over 269 games in his previous two seasons combined. His 10 errors lead all first baseman.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman snapped a 10-game homerless streak Saturday, in an 11-5 win over the Diamondbacks. 

Freeman opened the game with a two-run home run and reached base three times, despite the home run being his lone hit in three at-bats. He finished 1 for 3 with two walks, three runs scored and two RBI.

Freeman has just three home runs in the month of June, and eight overall in 259 at-bats. He is hitting .305 with an .839 OPS and 50 RBI on the season.