MLB Player News

Alonso went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer in Monday's 8-4 loss to Washington.

Alonso's 12th homer of the season was a two-run blast in the eighth inning to cut the Nationals' lead to 5-3. It was just his second homer over the last 19 games and fifth of the month. He's sporting an .818 OPS with 38 RBI over 259 plate appearances on the year.

Rizzo (back) is out of the lineup Monday against the Brewers.

Rizzo exited Sunday's loss to the Dodgers with tightness in his lower back and will be held out at least one game. Back issues have been a recurring theme for the veteran first baseman over the past few years, and it's unclear if the current injury will require a stint on the injured list or if he'll only need a day or two off before rejoining the lineup.

Hiura went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBI in Sunday's 5-0 win over the Rockies.

Hiura got the Brewers on the board in the third with a solo shot to left center for his second home run in four games since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville. The 24-year-old later stepped up to the plate with two men on and delivered with a two-run double to pad their lead at 5-0. It's encouraging to see Hiura making hard contact after he struggled mightily to start the year. Before his most recent call-up, he was slashing .130/.217/.222 with a home run, five RBI, nine runs scored, a stolen base and an 8:48 BB:K. He's now hit safely in each of his last three games and has five RBI over that span. Sunday's performance is one Hiura can build on as he continues to find his groove at the plate. He should see regular playing time at first base after Daniel Vogelbach went down with a hamstring strain during the week.

Calhoun (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Reno on Monday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Calhoun will play five innings during his first game and presumably increase his workload to the point where he plays nine innings in the field. The outfielder is aiming to rejoin Arizona for the start of the next homestand Thursday.

Bell went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Sunday's 5-1 win over the Marlins.

The Nationals had a strong sixth inning Sunday, and Bell contributed with his 11th home run of the season to extend the team's lead. The 28-year-old missed the first two games of the series due to right side soreness, but he's now gone 4-for-12 with two home runs, six RBI, three runs, a walk and two strikeouts across his last three appearances.

Rizzo was removed from Sunday's game against the Dodgers due to left lower back tightness, Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Rizzo went 0-for-2 with a strikeout to begin Sunday's contest, and he was replaced defensively in the bottom of the fourth inning. The first baseman has dealt with back issues in recent seasons, and he missed six games at the end of May due to back stiffness. It's not yet clear whether his most recent injury will force him to miss additional time.

Higgins will undergo right forearm flexor tendon repair in the near future, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Higgins was initially expected to undergo Tommy John surgery, but he'll undergo a different procedure in the coming days. However, the 28-year-old is still expected to miss the remainder of the 2021 season, and he could also be sidelined to begin the 2022 campaign.

Alonso went 3-for-4 with an RBI in Sunday's 4-2 loss to Philadelphia.

The first baseman got the Mets on the board with an RBI single in the eighth inning to plate Francisco Lindor. Alonso has hit safely in eight of his last 10 games, going 12-for-34 (.353) with a home run, two RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in that span. Despite the lack of counting stats recently, he's still put together a solid season with 11 home runs, 36 RBI, 31 runs scored and a steal while slashing .261/.345/.450 across 255 plate appearances.

Smith is not in the lineup Sunday against the Phillies.

Smith is 5-for-21 and is without an extra-base hit over his past six games, and he'll head to the bench Sunday. Billy McKinney will start in left field in his place.

Calhoun (hamstring) is running out of the batter's box during at-bats taken at the team's training site, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Calhoun is preparing to head out on a rehab assignment which will be "coming soon," per manager Torey Lovullo. The 33-year-old outfielder will need a few games in the minors before rejoining the major-league club.