MLB Player News

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard drove in four runs in Friday's loss to Atlanta. 

Howard went 2 for 3 with a double, two runs scored and two walks. He recorded four RBI for the first time since August 7 of last year. 

Howard hit in his sixth straight game. He's batting .409 during the streak. 

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo homered for the second consecutive game on Thursday, as he went 3 for 4 with three RBI. 

Rizzo, who also doubled in the 5-2 win over the Brewers, launched his 18th home run--a go-ahead three-run shot--in the eighth inning, with the Cubs trailing 2-0. 

The Mets have reportedly backed out of a deal that would have sent Carlos Gomez to the New York from the Brewers. 

Sources tell FoxSports.com that the Mets had concerns over Gomez's medical records, and decided not to follow through on the proposed deal, which would have sent Wilmer Flores and Zack Wheeler to Milwaukee. 

Gomez spent time on the disabled list earlier this season with a hip injury, but he has played all but one game since June 23. However, it seems the Mets' staff did not like what they saw in the medical report. 

There had been thought that the Brewers saw something in Wheeler's medical charts, as he had Tommy John surgery in March. But reports are saying it's Gomez's injury history that has nixed the deal. 

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt pushed his hitting streak up to 11 games with a 2 for 5 effort in the 8-4 win over the Mariners on Wednesday. Goldschmidt also drove in a pair of runs and scored a run on the afternoon.

Over the course of the streak, Goldschmidt is batting .429 (15 for 35) with a home run and five RBI. He has also walked 13 times in the 11-game span, compared to just six strikeouts.

Mets infielder Wilmer Flores has been traded to the Brewers. The Mets will receive center fielder Carlos Gomez in exchange for Flores and starter Zack Wheeler, CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman reports.

Flores, who was signed by the Mets as a 16-year-old in 2007, is in the midst of his third season in the big leagues. He entered play on Wednesday with a .249 batting average, 10 home runs and 40 RBI in 92 games for the Mets. He has seen time at shortstop and second base, though he looked much more comfortable at second. 

Neither team has officially announced the trade at this point.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo came through in the clutch with a big two-run home run in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Rockies. Rizzo's blast gave the Cubs a 3-0 lead in the third inning, and they were able to hang on for the victory.

The homer, Rizzo's 17th of the year, was his only hit of the afternoon. The young star has been struggling at the plate over the last few weeks, as he's hitting just .132 with two RBI over his past 10 games. His season average has dropped from .294 to .279 over that stretch.

In just his third game back from the disabled list, Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman went deep for his 13th home run of the year. It was his only hit of the game, as the Braves dropped the game 7-3 to the Orioles. 

His two-run home run gave the Braves an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, but it wouldn't last, as the Orioles scored three in the bottom half en route to their victory. 

Reds first baseman Joey Votto provided the only significant offense of the game in Tuesday's 4-0 win over the Cardinals. Votto launched a three-run home run in the sixth inning off Jaime Garcia to break a scoreless tie.

Votto reached base safely in all four plate-appearances on Tuesday, going 3 for 3 with a walk. He drove in three runs and scored two, recording his 19th home run and his 19th double of the season. 

Votto has been on fire at the plate recently, batting a ridiculous .595 with three homers and eight RBI over his past 11 games. Perhaps just as impressive is the fact that he has struck out just once--compared to 12 walks--in those 11 contests.

The Marlins removed second baseman Dee Gordon from the disabled list Tuesday, the team announced.

Gordon had been out since July 11 with a thumb injury. He will bat first and play second in Tuesday's game against the Nationals, reports MLB.com.

With Gordon back on the roster, the team placed infielder Donovan Solano on the paternity list.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman is in the starting lineup for Sunday's game, for the first time since June 17. 

Freeman was activated from the disabled list on Saturday. He'll bat cleanup for the Braves on Sunday.