MLB Player News

Hoskins went 2-for-4 with a walk, a triple, a two-run home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's 6-0 win over the Mets.

On Tuesday, Hoskins got buzzed high and tight by a couple of Jacob Rhame fastballs; on Wednesday the slugger took his revenge, ripping a Rhame fastball over the left-field fence in the ninth inning for his seventh homer of the year and then taking over half a minute to slowly and pointedly trot around the bases. The teams won't face each other again until late June, but expect tensions to be high. Hoskins now boasts a .273/.402/.580 slash line through 23 games with 20 RBI.

Bell went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and walk in an 11-2 loss to the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.

The Pirates first baseman has continued his impressive start. Last year, he hit just .261 with 12 homers, which are very weak numbers for a first baseman. This season, he looks more like the top prospect he was a couple years ago. Bell is hitting .299 with five home runs, 17 RBI and 15 runs in 77 at-bats this year. He's slugging .623 and has a strong walks-to-strikeouts ratio -- 11 versus 17 -- as well.

Alonso will sit Wednesday against the Phillies.

Alonso finds himself on the bench for just the third time this season. Dominic Smith gets the start at first base.

France was recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Wednesday, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

France has been on a tear to start the season with El Paso, slashing .423/.500/.885 with seven doubles, nine homers and 28 RBI in 19 games for the Chihuahuas. It's unclear how much the 24-year-old will play in his first taste of the majors, but he could carve out playing time at second base if he holds his own there defensively and Luis Urias and Ian Kinsler continue to struggle. Jose Pirela (oblique) was placed on the IL in a corresponding move.

Bell went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts against Arizona on Tuesday.

He stranded five baserunners in a 2-1 loss -- he entered the tilt hitting .643 with runners in scoring position. Prior to Tuesday, the first baseman hit .347 with four homers and 12 RBI in his last 14 games. Bell is off to a terrific start in 2019, but it will be interesting to see how he responds to his first rough performance.

Rizzo went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 7-2 win over the Dodgers.

Rizzo took Los Angeles starter Kenta Maeda deep in the second inning for his fourth home run of the season. The 29-year-old slugger is still batting just .200, but he's proven over his career that he can heat up in a hurry, so maybe the long ball will start a hot streak.

Bohm went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double and three RBI on Monday in Low-A Lakewood's 10-5 win over Rome.

The three-hit performance bumped Bohm's season average up to .367, trailing only Hagerstown's KJ Harrison (.438) for the lead among South Atlantic League qualifiers. As a 22-year-old who played three seasons at Wichita State before being selected third overall in last summer's draft, it's not surprising Bohm is finding plenty of success in his first taste of full-season ball. He probably won't be in store for a lengthy stay at Low-A.

Flores isn't in Tuesday's starting lineup against the Pirates.

Flores is 0-for-8 at the plate over his past two games, so he'll take a seat for the second game of the mid-week series. In his absence, Ketel Marte will move to the keystone, with Jarrod Dyson starting in center field.

Votto (back) returns to the lineup Tuesday against Atlanta.

Back tightness had kept the veteran out of the lineup for each of the last two games. He's back in the leadoff spot and playing first base.

Walker went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in a 12-4 victory against the Pirates on Monday.

The 28-year-old capped off the seven-run seventh for the Diamondbacks with a two-run bomb. That's his seventh homer of the year and fourth since April 14. Also since that date, Walker has a seven-game hitting streak and is batting .552. In large part due to the hot streak, Walker has been a pleasant surprise for owners early this season, slashing .347/.413/.722 with 13 extra-base hits, 13 RBI, 13 runs and three stolen bases in 72 at-bats.