MLB Player News

Bell went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a triple, three RBI and two runs during Friday's loss to the Cubs.

It's been an up-and-down sophomore campaign for Bell. He's made the most of his .238 batting average and .319 on-base percentage with a serviceable 12 homers, 30 RBI and 33 runs. Bell has also carved out a role in the heart of the Pittsburgh lineup, so that will help buoy his fantasy value going forward.

Bour (ankle) has been activated from the DL and is in the lineup Friday against the Braves.

As anticipated, Bour will make his return to the Marlins after completing a rehab assignment at High-A Jupiter earlier in the week. Friday will mark Bour's first action since June 4, and the first baseman will look to pick up where he left off after hitting .344 in the month of May. With Bour back in the fold, expect fewer opportunities for Tyler Moore.

Smith, 22, is hitting .316/.367/.463 with seven home runs and 41 RBI through 67 games for Triple-A Las Vegas.

Smith has hit over .300 in each of the past three seasons in the minors, though he does not yet have standout power for a first baseman. With Lucas Duda currently jacking dingers at the big-league level, Smith will remain at Triple-A for the time being. That being said, Duda will be a free agent after this season, so Smith could end up as the starting first baseman for the Mets as early as the beginning of 2018, or even sooner if the team has a fire sale at the trade deadline.

Flores went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in the eighth inning of Thursday's loss to Washington.

The 25-year-old infielder has hit his way into a prominent role and sports a sterling .311/.333/.497 slash line. He's also collected an impressive four homers, 16 RBI and 17 runs through his past 35 games. Flores projects to continue seeing regular at-bats, and his fantasy arrow is pointing up. Additionally, his eligibility at multiple positions is a nice asset.

Rizzo went 1-for-5 with a leadoff home run in Wednesday's loss to the Mets.

Rizzo took Matt Harvey deep to begin the game. Cubs manager Joe Maddon moved Rizzo up to No. 1 in the order on Tuesday to spark the offense, and the team responded with 14 runs. It's unclear how long this experiment might last, but for now, expect an uptick in runs but possibly a decrease in RBI opportunities for Rizzo.

Bell went 0-for-3 with a walk Wednesday against the Rockies.

He's hit 11 homers with 27 RBI but has struggled in recent weeks. Since May 20, Bell is batting .200/.277/.322 with two home runs and eight RBI in 101 plate appearances. His error at first base Wednesday led to a run, but the Pirates seem committed to keeping him there -- he's made some improvements despite his overall poor defense. In fact, Bell has been lifted for a defensive replacement in only one of his last 10 starts.

Votto went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 4-2 loss to the Padres.

Votto delivered a 413-foot bomb to center off Jhoulys Chacin to tie Ryan Zimmerman for the league lead. With 19 home runs and 51 RBI through 64 games, Votto is one pace for a career year. The Reds' first baseman is providing premium power while maintaining a .300 average.

Goldschmidt went 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Tuesday's 7-6 win over the Tigers.

He's now had back-to-back games with three hits including a homer. Goldschmidt has a .432/.543/.784 slash line through 11 games in June with three homers, 14 RBI and 11 runs, putting him on pace for career highs in every one of those categories.

Rizzo went 2-for-4 with a double, a homer, a walk, three RBI and two runs against the Mets on Tuesday.

His move to the leadoff spot was a smashing success, as the Cubs broke out for 14 runs. Rizzo's now hit safely in eight straight games, and he has a ridiculous 10:3 BB:K in that span. His greatest worth has come in formats that count OBP and/or OPS, but Rizzo's 14 homers, 40 RBI and five steals are valuable stats in any fantasy setting.

Bour (ankle) says he expects to come off the disabled list when first eligible Friday, Tim Healey of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

Bour is expected to make a rehab appearance with High-A Jupiter on Wednesday before hopefully rejoining the big club ahead of Friday's series opener against the Braves. Barring any setbacks, Bour would face Jaime Garcia in his return to the lineup. Tyler Moore will lose at-bats once Bour is activated.