MLB Player News

Votto was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The length of Votto's expected absence is not yet clear, as the Reds have yet to announce if he's tested positive for the virus himself or is on the injured list for other reasons. The team will hope that his time out of the lineup will allow him to step back and rediscover his old form, as he's hit a miserable .122/.278/.135 through 22 games this season. Colin Moran starts at first base in Votto's absence Tuesday against the Brewers and should see an expanded role until Votto returns.

Bohm will bat second and play third base Tuesday against Texas.

Bohm had primarily hit seventh throughout the early part of the season and had never hit higher than fifth, a spot he occupied just once. His move to the second spot in the order seems justified based on his strong performance thus far this season, however, as he's rebounded from a poor 2021 campaign to hit .309/.373/.455 through 21 games. He's cut his strikeout rate to a career-best 14.9 percent while posting a 10.2 percent barrel rate.

Voit (biceps) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A El Paso on Tuesday.

Voit has been on the shelf for just over a week with the biceps tendon injury, so he may only need a game or two in the minors to prove his health. If Voit checks out fine during his time at El Paso, he could rejoin the Padres for the team's four-game weekend series against the Marlins. He'll likely reclaim duties as San Diego's primary designated hitter upon returning from the IL.

Smith will sit for the first half of Tuesday's doubleheader against Atlanta.

Smith survived the roster cutdown Monday, as he remained on the active roster while Robinson Cano was designated for assignment. While that should give him a safer path to regular starts, he won't start every game, especially not both halves of a doubleheader. Francisco Lindor will rest his legs as the designated hitter in this game, but Smith should return to the lineup for the nightcap.

Goldschmidt went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Monday's win over the Royals.

The first baseman took Zack Greinke deep in the first inning, providing all of the offense in the contest. Goldschmidt now has two home runs on the year, both of which have come in the last three contests. After batting .146 over the first 11 games of the season, the 34-year old has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games, hitting .450 with four extra-base hits and 10 RBI over that stretch.

Smith isn't starting Monday against Atlanta.

The 26-year-old has started exclusively against right-handed pitchers this year, and he'll get a breather Monday since southpaw Max Fried is starting for Atlanta. Smith went 4-for-4 with a double, three RBI and a run in Sunday's win over Philadelphia and should see slightly more consistent playing time after Robinson Cano was designated for assignment Monday. However, Eduardo Escobar will serve as the designated hitter while J.D. Davis starts at third base in the series opener against Atlanta.

Smith went 4-for-4 with a double, a run scored and three RBI in Sunday's win over the Phillies.

There had been some question whether Smith would be optioned down to Triple-A Syracuse ahead of Monday's roster cutdown to 26 players, but the 26-year-old took the decision out of the Mets' hands with a huge performance. Instead, the club designated Robinson Cano for assignment, removing one obstacle between Smith and more consistent playing time. Through 48 plate appearances this season, he's batting .254 with a .354 OBP and seven RBI, but he's still looking for his first home run of 2022.

Rivas went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Sunday's 2-0 win over the Brewers.

The Cubs found just enough offense to win against Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes, and Rivas helped lead the way from the leadoff spot. The 25-year-old has been a pleasant surprise so far this season with a .429 batting average and 1.139 OPS through nine games. Rivas has started three of the team's last four contests, with the exception being a Saturday matchup against Brewers' lefty Eric Lauer. A first-base platoon seems to be forming in Chicago, with the left-handed hitting Rivas on the strong side. Frank Schwindel will likely be the preferred option against southpaws and can also serve as the DH when Rivas starts, which was the alignment Sunday.

Cron went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Sunday's win over the Reds.

Colorado put up a six spot in the first inning, and Cron did his part with a laser off Reiver Sanmartin, Cron's NL-leading eighth homer already this season. He will get to enjoy some more home cooking against the Nationals early this coming week before the Rockies head out on the road.

Walker went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and two strikeouts in Sunday's 7-5 loss to the Cardinals.

Walker tied the game at 2-2 with his solo shot off Cardinals starter Jordan Hicks. While Walker's slugged five homers in 22 games this season, the rest of his stat line leaves something to be desired. He's slashing only .152/.230/.380 with eight RBI and 11 runs scored through 87 plate appearances. The first baseman is just 2-for-21 in his last six contests.