-
Anthony Rizzo 1B | NYY
Cubs' Anthony Rizzo: Clubs eighth home run in winning effort
Rizzo went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Sunday's 13-6 rout of the Brewers.
The home run was his eighth of the year, and the RBI were his 23rd and 24th of 2017. The power hasn't been in question, but his slow start may have his owners a tad worried. However, The 27-year-old slugger is sporting an unusually low BABIP (.224), so one should expect much better days ahead, especially with Chicago's lineup as a whole starting to heat up recently.
-
Wilmer Flores 1B | SF
Mets' Wilmer Flores: Picks up fourth start in five games
Flores will start at third base and bat second Sunday against the Angels.
T.J. Rivera has been serving as the Mets' primary third baseman for the last month, but with Rivera in the midst of a slump at the dish over the last handful of games, Flores has started to cut into his at-bats. Flores is starting for the fourth time in five games Sunday and could eventually carve out a full-time role if he's able to stay hot at the dish over the next few contests.
-
Tommy Joseph 1B | TEX
Phillies' Tommy Joseph: Not in lineup Sunday
Joseph is out of the lineup Sunday against the Pirates, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
It looks to be a routine rest day for Joseph, who will hit the bench in favor of Brock Stassi after starting the last five games at first base. Joseph has been riding high in May with a .352/.429/.741 batting line to go with five homers and 12 RBI, rewarding fantasy owners who stayed patient with him after a rough April.
-
Paul Goldschmidt 1B | NYY
Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt: Drives in two runs Saturday
Goldschmidt went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's 9-1 win over the Padres.
For the second game in a row, the Diamondbacks bats did major damage early against the Padres pitching staff, with Goldschmidt's base hit in his first at-bat plating two runs in a five-run first inning. Goldschmidt has reached base in 11 consecutive games and has taken his stellar plate discipline to greater heights this season with 18.5 percent and 19.2 percent walk and strikeout rates, respectively, both of which are career-best marks.
-
Justin Bour 1B | SF
Marlins' Justin Bour: Homers for second straight game Friday
Bour went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 7-2 loss to the Dodgers.
Bour saved the Marlins from the ignominy of a shutout by smacking a 387-foot solo shot in the ninth, his second homer in as many games. The slugging first baseman has blasted six round trippers in his last nine games, posting a .429 average, .645 wOBA, 305 wRC+ and 66.7 percent hard-contact rate over that span.
-
Christian Walker 1B | HOU
Diamondbacks' Christian Walker: Leads minors in RBI
Walker, 26, is slashing .306/.381/.631 with 25 extra-base hits across 181 plate appearances with Triple-A Reno this season.
Walker is doing a tour of Triple-A for the fourth consecutive season and is making a compelling case for a spot on the Pacific Coast League All-Star team. His 46 RBI on the season are the most in the minors, while his 12 homers are tied for the top mark across all levels. That sort of production would normally put Walker on the radar for a promotion to the big leagues, but the Diamondbacks' decision to drop him from the 40-man roster coming out of spring training may make his road to the majors more difficult.
-
Tommy Joseph 1B | TEX
Phillies' Tommy Joseph: Belts sixth homer Thursday
Joseph went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run during Thursday's loss to Texas.
The first baseman has turned the corner in May with five homers, 11 RBI, 11 runs and a .383/.473/.830 slash line. It's been an impressive stretch, and Joseph has also registered a hit in 12 of 15 games. Considering his power pedigree moving through the minors and 21 bombs through just 347 plate appearances last year, Joseph stands to do a lot of damage at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park.
-
Justin Bour 1B | SF
Marlins' Justin Bour: Smacks ninth homer in loss
Bour went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Thursday's 7-2 loss to the Dodgers.
The slugging first baseman evened the score at 1-1 in the second with a 412-foot shot to right, his ninth homer of the season. The blast pushed Bour over his April total of four round trippers with plenty of time left in the month, and he's now slashing .333/.452/.667 in 61 plate appearances in May. Bour's strikeout rate has risen to 21.6 percent this season, but his ISO now sits at a career-high .243.
-
Josh Bell DH | MIN
Pirates' Josh Bell: Homers against Nats
Bell went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run during Thursday's win over Washington.
The 24-year-old is up to nine home runs, 18 RBI, 18 runs and a .248/.338/.520 slash line for the season, and he's now launched four home runs during an active six-game hitting streak. The hot stretch should keep him in the heart of the lineup for the immediate future, and Bell's current .858 OPS is an impressive mark for a player with just 254 career plate appearances at the highest level.
-
Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Braves' Freddie Freeman: Placed on DL
Freeman was placed on the 10-day disabled list Thursday with a fractured left wrist.
As expected, Freeman was sent to the DL after it was revealed he'll miss approximately 10 weeks recovering from the injury. Rio Ruiz was recalled from Triple-A to take Freeman's place on the roster -- Ruiz, Johan Camargo and Jace Peterson could see reps at first base while Freeman is sidelined.