MLB Player News

Goldschmidt went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in a win over the Cubs on Saturday.

Goldschmidt appears to be taking well to his new No. 3 spot in the order, as he's now 5-for-12 over his first three games since the lineup switch. Goldschmidt had actually already started flashing a hotter bat a few games prior, and he's now hitting .395 (15-for-38) with two homers, three RBI, two walks and five runs over his last 10 contests overall.

Hiura will start at second base and bat cleanup in Sunday's series finale at Pittsburgh.

Hiura hit a clutch two-run homer in the ninth inning Saturday to force extra-innings and has three home runs and seven RBI in the last four contests. It's unlikely to be an everyday change since Mike Moustakas (hand) is out Sunday after being hit by a pitch, but it's a clear indication of how well the 22-year-old has hit since his promotion in mid-May. Hiura is slashing .300/.354/.567 with five home runs and a double in his first 16 major-league games.

Naylor went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 9-3 loss to the Marlins.

His first career homer gave the Padres an early lead in the second inning. Naylor's seen action in both outfield corners since his promotion, but his .200/.200/.400 slash line and 0:9 BB:K through seven games suggests his stay with San Diego could end up being brief.

Rizzo went 2-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Saturday's 7-4 loss to the Cardinals.

He got the Cubs started with a first-inning blast off Jack Flaherty, but a more than three-hour rain delay in the middle of the fifth put a damper on the team's offense. The red-hot Rizzo has now hit safely in 13 straight games, slashing .440/.517/.860 over that stretch with six homers and 14 RBI.

Smith went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and two runs scored in a 6-5 loss to the Diamondbacks on Saturday.

It was Smith's second home run in four days and his third long ball of the year. The 23-year-old is hitting .365/.467/.571 over 63 at-bats this season, adding 18 runs and eight RBI. He's appeared in 48 games, but he may see more starting opportunities if the bat stays hot. Smith may have the trust of manager Mickey Callaway, but it's unlikely he'll supplant rookie Pete Alonso at first base.

Bell extended his hitting streak to 11 games Friday, going 2-for-5 with an RBI in a 9-4 win over Milwaukee.

He slashed .390/.442/.797 with 12 doubles, 12 homers and 31 RBI in May. Bell leads the major leagues with 20 doubles, 152 total bases and is tied for the RBI lead (52) with Cody Bellinger. The 26-year-old has boosted his average exit velocity from 90 mph in 2018 to 94.6 mph in 2019 (good for second behind Joey Gallo's 96 mph).

Flores (foot) is limited while in a walking boot but has continued to do upper-body maintenance, Jenna Ortiz of the Arizona Republic reports.

The Diamondbacks have not released a timetable for Flores' return, but it's safe to assume he'll miss longer than the 10-day minimum. Ketel Marte and Ildemaro Vargas are picking up starts at second base while Flores is unavailable.

Walker went 3-for-3 with a walk, a two-run homer and a second run scored in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Mets.

Kevin Cron has already been sent back to Triple-A Reno, but the brief competition seems to have lit a fire under Walker. The 28-year-old has gone yard in back-to-back games and has collected six hits over his last three contests, emphatically snapping a 3-for-44 slump. On the season, Walker is slashing .259/.333/.497 with 10 homers and 22 RBI.

Blandino (knee) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Monday, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Blandino hasn't played since surgery to repair a torn ACL and MCL last July. Given the length of his absence, his rehab assignment is unlikely to be brief.

Votto (hamstring) is starting at first base and batting second Friday against the Nationals.

Votto missed the last three games with a tight right hamstring, but is good to go following Thursday's scheduled off day. The 35-year-old is riding a six-game hit streak in which he is slashing .444/.448/.519 with two doubles and two RBI.