MLB Player News

Rizzo went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run in the Cubs' 6-5 defeat to the Rockies on Monday.

Rizzo checked in with his 17th long ball of the season, touching up German Marquez with a two-run blast in the third inning as part of a three-hit game, bringing his slash line up to .284/.396/.559 through 229 at-bats. Already one of the most consistent hitters in baseball, Rizzo is on track to have his best season yet, as he's on pace for 42 homers and 117 RBI, both of which would be career highs if he can keep raking at his current clip.

Beaty (hip flexor) will play another rehab game for High-A Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Beaty was with the Dodgers in Anaheim on Monday after making his first rehab appearance with the Quakes on Sunday and going 1-for-3 with a double, but he said he's slated for at least one more appearance in High-A on Tuesday, per Hoornstra. He was placed on the 10-day injured list June 5 with a minor hip flexor injury and will be eligible for activation June 13.

Arias went 3-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs for High-A Lake Elsinore on Sunday.

The 19-year-old checked in with the first multi-homer day of his professional career to bring his long ball total on the season up to seven through 193 at-bats for the Storm. Arias is known for his sharp defense more than his bat, but the seven homers represent a new career high, and he's also now working on a nine-game hitting streak that has boosted his slash line up to .269/.420/.420.

Blandino (knee) has appeared in five rehab games at Triple-A Louisville, going 4-for-14 with a pair of home runs and two walks.

Blandino is working his way back from the season-ending right knee surgery he required last July and will likely be kept in the minors for the entire 20-day rehab window or close to it. The 26-year-old had been a serviceable reserve infielder for the Reds before getting hurt last season, but the presence of other utility options like Jose Peraza, Kyle Farmer and Josh VanMeter makes it uncertain whether Blandino will have a role with the big club once reinstated.

Goldschmidt went 2-for-4 with a double -- only his third extra-base hit in the last 22 games -- in a loss to the Cardinals on Sunday,

The lack of impactful hits for the normally prodigious veteran is curious to say the least, considering that Goldschmidt has generated a 23.2 percent line-drive rate and 50.0 percent hard-contact rate over that span of 90 plate appearances. What's more, he owns an elevated .352 BABIP during that 22-game stretch, so he hasn't exactly been on the wrong side of luck when putting wood on the ball. Nevertheless, through 63 games in his first Cardinals campaign, the prized offseason acquisition has a modest 17 extra-base hits overall (five doubles, 12 home runs), well off the pace of the 73 apiece he laced over his final two seasons with the Diamondbacks.

Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Per Healey, manager Mickey Callaway classified Smith's absence as more of a day off after the natural first baseman started each of the past three games in left field. While Smith's long-term viability in the outfield remains a question mark, he should at least enter the lineup over the next two games with a designated hitter available for the Mets in their interleague series with the Yankees. Smith has homered three times while batting .433 over his last 11 games, showing he can still deliver some intriguing fantasy value in deeper formats and NL-only leagues even while his playing-time outlook remains somewhat sketchy.

Solano started at second base and went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Saturday's 7-2 loss to the Dodgers.

Solano has started two of the last three games against southpaws, both coming on rest days for different infielders. The veteran utility man's last start prior to June 5 was May 24, so he isn't even on the short side of a platoon at the moment.

Alonso went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Rockies.

He took Jake McGee deep in the seventh inning on a ball that hit the advertising boards just over the left-field wall despite an improbable launch angle of 48 degrees -- only the 10th home run with an angle that steep since Statcast began tracking the data, and the hardest hit of the 10 at 111.5 mph off the bat. It also peaked at 185 feet, making it the highest homer hit in the majors this season. Alonso is slashing .261/.341/.604 on the season, and his 21 long balls puts him five shy of Darryl Strawberry's franchise record for a rookie, a mark the 24-year-old first baseman could reach by the All-Star break.

Naylor went 1-for-4 with an RBI, a run and a stolen base in Friday's 5-4 win over the Nationals.

Naylor drew a spot start in place of Hunter Renfroe in left field and proved valuable during a two-run ninth inning. Naylor knocked a single to score Eric Hosmer, then stole second base before coming around to score the winning run on Austin Hedges' single. Naylor is hitting .244 with two homers and 11 RBI in 13 games since his promotion, and the stolen base was the first of his major-league career.

Votto went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk during a 4-2 loss against the Phillies on Friday.

Saying the long ball was a sight for sore eyes is a major understatement. Votto came into the night on pace for about 12 homers and 33 RBI this season. He didn't show much power last year either, but he did post 67 RBI and a league-leading .417 on-base percentage in 2018. Votto owns a .343 on-base percentage in 2019. He is also batting .251 with five homers, 12 RBI, 31 runs and one steal in 211 at-bats this season.