MLB Player News

Reds first baseman Joey Votto was ejected from Wednesday's contest after arguing balls and strikes, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Votto was 1 for 3 with one run scored and two strikeouts before exiting. 

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt was back in the lineup for Saturday's game at the Chicago Cubs, the team announced. Goldschmidt had not played since Tuesday due to the birth of his child.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo drove in a team-high four RBI to help propel the team to a 14-5 win over the D-Backs on Friday.

His biggest hit came in the fifth inning when he hit a grand slam off A.J. Schugel. He finished the game 2 for 3 with one walk.

Prior to Friday's win, Rizzo was hitting .212 with four home runs and nine RBI in his last 14 games.

Outfielder Matt McBride has been designated for assignment by the Rockies to make room on the roster for just-activated first baseman Justin Morneau.

McBride did not distinguish himself at the plate during his short stay with Colorado, He batted just .167 (7-for-42) with no RBI.

Diamondbacks slugger Paul Goldschmidt will miss a second straight game Friday to be with his family in Phoenix for the birth of his first child. He is expected to return Saturday for the second game of a series against the Cubs.

Goldschmidt is in a mini-slump with just five hits in his last 28 at-bats, though he has slugged two home runs over that stretch.

Joey Votto was the offensive hero for the Reds once again, as he helped his club defeat the Cubs 7-4 on Wednesday. Votto, who went 2 for 5 on the afternoon, blasted a three-run home run to snap a 4-4 tie in the top of the ninth inning. 

The home run was his 27th of the year and his second in as many games. It was also his 10th go-ahead home run of the season. 

Overall, Votto is hitting a ridiculous .429 with four homers and 10 RBI over his last 10 games. 

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies. Goldschmidt is getting his first day off since May 21. In other words, he had started 92 straight games prior  to Wednesday.

The MVP candidate is batting .265 with three home runs over his last 10 games. With Goldschmidt out, Jake Lamb is making his second career-start at first base.

Goldschmidt is expected to return to the lineup Friday after attending the birth of his child.

Mets infielder Wilmer Flores will not play in Wednesday's game after leaving the team due to a family emergency, reports The Wall Street Journal. Flores is expected to rejoin the team for Friday's contest in Miami.

Mets second baseman Wilmer Flores did his best Monday to upstage teammate David Wright, who was returning after losing four months to a back injury.

Wright hit a homer in the shellacking of Philadelphia, but Flores slugged two. He slammed a two-run blast in the fourth and three-run job in the fifth. He also doubled and scored in the sixth.

His fine game sweetened his slash line on the year to .265/.298/.418.

Veteran first baseman Ryan Howard is back in the cleanup spot for the Phillies on Monday after not playing in the last two contests. 

Howard has been out of the Phillies lineup in five of the last six games, with Jeff Francoeur taking his familiar No. 4 spot in the lineup. Part of that is due to Philadelphia's youth movement and part of it had to do with the team facing four left-handed pitchers. 

"I'm ready to get back in there," Howard told the Philadelphia Daily News. "Ready to get home and try to get back after it."