MLB Player News

Rizzo is starting at first base and batting second Monday against the Nationals.

Manager Joe Maddon is looking for anything to get the Cubs going at the plate, so he'll again switch up the batting order as lefty-throwing Gio Gonzalez is set to take the mound for the Nationals. Willson Contreras will bat leadoff for the first time in his career as Rizzo slides down to the two hole.

Joseph is not in the lineup Monday against the Diamondbacks, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Joseph's absence is a rare occurence, as the first baseman has started every game this month and missed only four games all season. However, in light of his 1-for-9 slump over the past three games, Monday's matinee appears to be an ideal time for a mental break. Brock Stassi will fill the void at first base.

Voit is starting at first base and batting sixth for Monday's game against the Reds.

This will mark Voit's first major-league start following his call-up from Triple-A Memphis earlier this week. The 26-year-old made a painful debut appearance as a pinch hitter Sunday, getting hit in the back by a Jhan Marinez offering before being taken out of the game. Voit has slashed .322/.406/.561 in the minors this season and will likely act to spell Matt Carpenter at first base going forward.

Goldschmidt is not in the lineup Monday against the Phillies.

It's a rare absence for Goldschmidt -- just his third of the year and first since May 28. He will be replaced by Daniel Descalso at first base for the series finale. Goldschmidt has yet to slow down at the plate this year, as evidenced by his .332/.447/.606 line and MLB-leading 65 RBI.

Cabrera went 2-for-5 with a walk and a run scored in Sunday's win over the Giants.

The reluctant second baseman for the Mets has come off the DL firing on all cylinders, collecting seven hits in three games with four runs scored. If the team does follow through with trading Cabrera, the 31-year-old is doing everything he can to increase his value to a contending team looking for infield depth.

Voit had his contract purchased Sunday from Triple-A Memphis.

With the callup, Voit is now on the precipice of making his debut in the majors. However, it's unlikely he will see a solid bit of playing time given his inexperience and the Cardinals' depth already there. The 26-year-old slashed .322/.406/.561 in 255 at-bats at Triple-A this season.

Flores went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double and two RBI during Saturday's win over San Francisco.

It was Flores' fourth homer of the month, and he now sports a respectable .280/.295/.524 slash line with 10 RBI and 12 runs through 21 June games. He's playing consistently and offers nice power upside for a hitter eligible as a middle infielder. Flores is also in line for a career-best season and checks out as a serviceable fantasy asset.

Bour is not in the lineup Saturday against the Cubs, Andre Fernandez of the Miami Herald reports.

Bour will head to the bench for a breather after starting each of the last six contests. Tyler Moore will start in his place at first base.

Flores went 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored and two RBI in Friday's win over the Giants.

With Asdrubal Cabrera now playing second base and Jose Reyes at shortstop, Flores doesn't have a whole lot of competition for playing time at third, but he may be getting exposed in a full-time role. The 25-year-old snapped out of a 4-for-41 (.098) slump with the three-hit effort, but he'll need to keep raking to avoid a trip to the bench once Amed Rosario gets his inevitable promotion.

Cabrera went 3-for-6 with two runs scored in Friday's win over the Giants.

He didn't let his shift to second base, or his resulting trade request, distract him in his return from the DL. Cabrera is still only hitting .214 (9-for-42) in June despite the big day, however, and the 31-year-old likely isn't going to fetch much on the open market given his status as a free agent in the offseason.