MLB Player News

Braves slugger Freddie Freeman is expected to return to the lineup Sunday when the team concludes its series in St. Louis, according to MLB.com.

Freeman has been sidelined with a bruised right wrist since June 17. He was activated Saturday with a slash line of .299/.367/.520.

Phillies slugger Ryan Howard delivered all the offense Cole Hamels and the Phillies would need Saturday, with his three-run homer providing the punch in Hamels' 5-0 no-hitter. 

Howard, who was 2-for-4 on the day, got Philadelphia on the board with a three-run blast to center off Cubs starter Jake Arrieta. His 17th homer of the season gave him 51 RBIs on the year. He is hitting .223 in 89 games.  

The Braves activated first baseman Freddie Freeman from the 15-day disabled list, the team announced prior to Saturday's game. 

Freeman had been out for six weeks with a lingering wrist injury. He played a brief minor league rehab assignment at Class A this week. 

Freeman will join the Braves for the game against St. Louis on Saturday night. 

To make room, the Braves optioned Joey Terdoslavich to Triple-A Gwinnett. Terdoslavich hit .147 in 19 games with the Braves. 

Reds first baseman Joey Votto hit a game-tying solo home run in the ninth inning of a game Cincinnati eventually lost to Colorado on Friday.

Votto went 3 for 5 in the game and homered for the second straight game. He has six multi-hit games in the last seven, including four games with at least three hits. 

Votto hit the 16th game-tying homer of his career and his 18th homer in the ninth inning.  

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman enjoyed success in a rehab game Friday for the team's Gulf Coast League club. He slammed two hits in four at-bats, including a home run.

Freeman, who also drove in three runs, is hoping to return to the Atlanta lineup next Thursday against Philadelphia. He has been sidelined for six week with a wrist injury.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is not in the lineup against the Cubs on Friday.

Howard will be replaced at first base by Darin Ruf, who is batting out of the fifth spot of the lineup.

Howard is hitting .258 with eight hits, two home runs, seven RBI and eight strikeouts during his last eight games.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto had a big day in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Cubs. Votto went 3 for 4 with a pair of singles and a solo home run. Votto's homer came in the fifth inning with the Reds already up 4-1.

Votto, who also scored three runs in the game, is batting .425 with three home runs and six RBI over his last 11 contests.

Mets second baseman Wilmer Flores went 2 for 4 in Tuesday's win over Washington.

Flores hit in his third straight game and had his second multi-hit game over that stretch. 

Flores scored once, and drove in his first two runs since July 5. 

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman will head down to the Braves' training facility in Florida to work out for about 2-3 days. He will then likely head out on a minor league rehab assignment, as he continues to recover from a wrist injury.

Freeman could return on the Braves' upcoming road trip, which begins Friday in St. Louis. It is more likely that the power-hitting first baseman makes his return at the end of the trip in Philadelphia, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. 

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman hit off a tee on Monday, and could be nearing the start of a rehab assignment within the next few days, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Freeman has been on the 15-disabled list because of a lingering wrist injury.