MLB Player News

Montero went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's loss to the Nationals.

Montero jumped on a hanging curveball from Jake Irvin in his first at-bat of the contest and sent it into the stands in left field, scoring Harold Castro as the Rockies took a 2-0 lead. The 24-year-old third baseman would then go down on strikes in each of his next three plate appearances as Colorado fell to the Nationals in dramatic fashion. It was certainly a nice start for Montero in his return to the lineup after being promoted from Triple-A, though he's now struck out seven times over his last three games in the big leagues.

Walker went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Wednesday's 11-7 loss to the Cardinals.

Walker's ninth-inning, two-run homer was the first baseman's second in three games. The first half of July was not kind to Walker (4-for-40), but he's turned it around in the second half. Walker's hit safely in seven of the last nine games, going 13-for-34 (.382) with four doubles, four home runs, nine RBI and nine runs scored during that stretch. His 22 home runs and 67 RBI lead the Diamondbacks.

Steer is not in the starting lineup Wednesday versus the Brewers.

Steer will get a breather after he went 1-for-7 with a run scored over the first two games in Milwaukee. Christian Encarnacion-Strand will take over at first base and bat seventh in the series finale with the Brewers.

Cooper is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

After sitting out Sunday's series finale with the Rockies due to an illness, Cooper returned to the lineup for Tuesday's 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Cooper isn't believed to be dealing with any health-related setbacks, so his absence from the lineup Wednesday is likely just a byproduct of the Marlins playing a day game after a night game.

Toglia will start at first base and bat fifth in Wednesday's game against the Nationals.

He'll stick in the lineup for a fifth consecutive game, manning first base once again while C.J. Cron (back) remains out of the lineup. Over the previous four games, Toglia went 3-for-16 with a double, two runs and two RBI. Cron has said that he expects to return to the lineup Friday versus Oakland, so Toglia could soon be headed back into a reserve role.

Alonso went 3-for-4 with a walk, two home runs and five RBI in Tuesday's 9-3 win over the Yankees.

The first baseman ended a 12-game power drought by taking Domingo German deep in the third and sixth innings. Alonso began July by slashing .114/.286/.273 through his first 13 contests on the month, but he's now hit safely in five straight while batting .474 (9-for-19) with five extra-base hits including two doubles and a triple. If the Mets are looking for excuses not to blow up the roster at the trade deadline, a return to form for Alonso could provide them with one.

Freeman went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, a walk and an additional run scored in Tuesday's 8-7 extra-inning win over the Blue Jays.

Freeman has four homers, eight RBI and five multi-hit efforts over his last eight games, bouncing back from a quiet stretch right after the All-Star break. The first baseman has already matched his homer total from last year (21), doing so in 100 games this season compared to 159 contests in 2022. He's slashing a stellar .328/.410/.584 with 71 RBI, 87 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 35 doubles and two triples while working as the Dodgers' usual No. 2 hitter.

Cronenworth isn't in the Padres' lineup Tuesday against Pittsburgh.

Cronenworth is just 4-for-21 with three RBI across his last five games and will get a breather for Tuesday's contest. Matthew Batten will start at first base in Cronenworth's absence and bat eighth.

Colorado recalled Montero from Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Montero has slashed just .198/.223/.321 in 112 plate appearances this season at the MLB level, but the Rockies need to bolster their supply of position players after placing Kris Bryant on the injured list Tuesday with a fractured finger.

Cron (back) said he doesn't expect to return to the lineup until Friday against the Athletics, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Cron will miss a fourth straight game Tuesday at Washington due to lower-back tightness and probably won't play in Wednesday's series finale either. Colorado has a scheduled team off day Thursday before opening a three-game weekend set Friday against the Athletics. Michael Toglia has been filling in at first base.