MLB Player News

Goldschmidt went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in the 4-1 win over the Mets on Wednesday.

Goldschmidt put the Cardinals on the board Wednesday with a solo shot off Marcus Stroman in the first inning. The 33-year-old is slashing .248/.296/.393 with four home runs, 16 RBI and 20 runs scored in 29 games. He has seven hits in his last four games. The first baseman gets his fair share of balls to hit and receives many scoring opportunities batting third in front of Nolan Arenado.

Cronenworth went 2-for-4 with two RBI in Wednesday's win over the Pirates.

Cronenworth supplied half of the Padres' runs with a two-run single off Duane Underwood that scored Victor Caratini and Trent Grisham, and he had previously recorded a single in the bottom of the third. The versatile infielder has hit safely in six of his last seven contests, but he only has one extra-base hit and one homer during that span.

Rizzo went 1-for-1 with a walk and an RBI in Wednesday's 6-5, extra-innings win over the Dodgers.

Rizzo didn't start the game but he was able to finish it, delivering a walkoff hit against Garrett Cleavinger in the bottom of the 11th inning. After the heroics, the first baseman should be back in the starting lineup for the Cubs' next game Friday, as this was his first day off this season. Rizzo is slashing .231/.336/.444 through his first 108 at-bats.

Flores was removed from Wednesday's game against the Rockies with a knee contusion, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

The 29-year-old worked a walk during the ninth inning and was replaced by pinch runner Mauricio Dubon. The severity of the injury remains unclear, but Flores will have Thursday's scheduled off day to aid in his recovery before Friday's series opener versus San Diego.

Raley was optioned to the Dodgers' taxi squad following Tuesday's doubleheader with the Cubs, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Designated as the Dodgers' 27th man for the twin bill, Raley went unused in both contests. He'll likely stick with the Dodgers for the remaining four games of its road trip before reporting to Triple-A Oklahoma City next week.

Manager David Bell said after Wednesday's 1-0 win over the White Sox that Votto fractured his left thumb during the game, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. He's expected to be sidelined for around a month with the injury.

Bell noted that Votto won't need surgery on his thumb, but the injury is still a major blow for the Reds. The veteran first baseman enjoyed a resurgent start to the campaign with a .779 OPS through his first 15 contests, but he had fallen into a slump over his subsequent 13 games (.666 OPS, 30.8 percent strikeout rate) before fracturing the thumb when he was hit by a pitch in a fourth-inning plate appearance Wednesday. Given his downward-trending production in addition to the fact that he'll now be sidelined for multiple weeks, Votto looks like a reasonable drop in shallower mixed leagues.

Rizzo isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Dodgers.

Rizzo will be on the bench for the first time this season after he went 3-for-13 with a home run, a triple, two runs, two RBI and three strikeouts in the last three games. Kris Bryant will shift to first base while Matt Duffy starts at third.

Bell isn't starting Wednesday's game against Atlanta.

Bell will retreat to the bench with southpaw Max Fried on the mound for Atlanta. Ryan Zimmerman will start at first base and bat third.

Smith isn't starting the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Cardinals, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Smith will take a seat with southpaw Kwang Hyun Kim starting Wednesday's matinee. Kevin Pillar will start in left field and bat fourth.

Cooper is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Cooper picked up eight straight starts -- including seven in right field -- from April 23 through Sunday, but he's been on the bench for both of the Marlins' first two games of their series with Arizona. Though manager Don Mattingly had previously been able to fit Cooper into the outfield by shifting Adam Duvall over to center field, Lewis Brinson has instead emerged as the primary option in center of late. Duvall and Corey Dickerson look poised to serve as the Marlins' main corner outfielders against right-handed pitching, so Cooper may be stuck in a short-side platoon role for the time being.