MLB Player News

Votto (knee) will start at first base and bat cleanup Monday against the Pirates.

Votto draws back into the starting nine after a sore left knee limited him to a bench role in the final two games of the Reds' weekend series with the Nationals. Though Cincinnati heads into the final week of the regular season with the faintest of playoff hopes, Votto isn't expected to be shut down, provided his knee doesn't act up again. The 38-year-old has turned in a huge second half for the Reds, batting .280 with 22 home runs, 52 RBI, 43 runs and 47 walks in 64 games.

Cron went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Sunday's 6-2 loss to the Giants.

Cron slammed a solo shot off Kevin Gausman in the fifth inning -- the only run scored against Gausman on Sunday. After hammering 11 long balls in August, Cron has just three so far in September. The 31-year-old is slashing .276/.369/.529 with 28 home runs, 88 RBI and 67 runs scored in 523 plate appearances this season.

Goldschmidt went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Sunday's 4-2 win over the Cubs.

Goldschmidt went deep off Keegan Thompson in the third inning to give the Cardinals the lead. It was his fifth home run in his last six games. The 33-year-old is slashing .294/.366/.517 with 31 long balls, 98 RBI, 100 runs and 12 steals in 661 plate appearances. He has been an essential asset in the Cardinals' historic 16-game winning streak.

Raley was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday.

Raley's latest stint on the big-league roster lasted just five days. He went 2-for-7 with a homer across three appearances. The Dodgers decided they needed an extra arm instead of an extra bat, so Andrew Vasquez was recalled to take his place on the roster.

Votto (knee) is not starting Sunday's game against the Nationals, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The veteran slugger should still be considered day-to-day, as it's unclear how severe his left knee issue is; it's only been described as "soreness." According to Nightengale, Votto is expected to be available as a pinch hitter Sunday. Asdrubal Cabrera is starting at first base in his absence.

Votto was scratched from Saturday's lineup against the Nationals due to left knee soreness, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Votto was penciled in to start at first base, per usual, before being scratched due to the knee injury. The severity of the injury remains unclear, and the 38-year-old should be considered day-to-day until the team updates his status. Tyler Stephenson will enter the starting nine in his absence.

Cronenworth will sit Saturday against Atlanta.

Cronenworth started six straight games after returning from a finger injury but grabbed just four hits. Fernando Tatis remains the primary shortstop, but Cronenworth should still slot in somewhere on the infield in most games while someone else gets a rest.

Calhoun went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a 4-2 loss to the Dodgers on Friday.

Calhoun got Arizona on the board in the second inning with a solo shot to right off Los Angeles starter Tony Gonsolin. The outfielder now has hits in four consecutive games, all of them of the extra-base variety, and has showed well following a month-long absence.

Goldschmidt went 5-for-9 with a home run, a double, four RBI and three runs scored as the Cardinals swept Friday's doubleheader versus the Cubs.

Goldschmidt has recorded multiple hits in each of his last four games, going 11-for-18 with four homers and two doubles in that span. The first baseman's massive surge has lifted his slash line to .296/.364/.515 with 30 long balls, 97 RBI, 99 runs scored and 12 stolen bases through 653 plate appearances. He's locked in at the plate at the perfect time for his fantasy managers.

Tellez (kneecap) could be activated from the injured list during next week's six-game road trip, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Manager Craig Counsell confirmed Friday that Tellez won't return over the weekend against the Mets, but he noted that "everything is going in the right direction" for the first baseman. The Brewers haven't provided an exact target date for Tellez to be activated, but Friday's update would suggest he could return as soon as Tuesday in St. Louis.