MLB Player News

Marlins first baseman Michael Morse is out of the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Nationals, with Justin Bour drawing the start, according to the Miami Herald.

Morse will get his second day off in the last three after struggling at the plate early on in the year. Morse is hitting just .193 with two home runs and eight RBI in 88 at-bats. Bour is 6 for 9 with a double so far this season.

The Marlins are currently the underdogs (+170) against Washington Monday.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard was held out of Monday's lineup at Atlanta, reports The News Journal.

Howard is coming off a two hit, two RBI game in Sunday's win over the Marlins. The Phillies are facing left-handed pitcher Alex Wood in Monday's game. Howard is 0 for 4 in his career against Wood. Darin Ruf will start and bat fourth in place of Howard.

The Phillies are the underdogs (+150) at Atlanta on Monday.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard went 2 for 4 at the plate in Philadelphia's 6-2 win over the Marlins on Sunday. Howard cracked his first triple of the season in the sixth inning when he took a Jarred Cosart pitch to deep center field, driving in Darin Ruf.

Howard credits his recent success at the plate to hitting coach Steve Harrison, according to Philly.com.

"It was a tough series. I had problems kind of getting my rhythm, getting comfortable in the box. It's a strange game, man. It's like one minute it's there, one minute it's not. But that third [at-bat], I found something."

Howard had three triples in the last two years coming into the contest and boosted his average to .193 on 83 at-bats.

"Those were good swings, real good swings," Sandberg said. "He took his aggression out on the baseball."

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo hit an RBI triple in the bottom of the fifth inning during Sunday afternoon's 5-3 loss to the Brewers. 

This was Rizzo's first triple of the season. A year ago, Rizzo only recorded one triple for the entire year. 

Rizzo's triple to center field came on a first pitch from Jimmy Nelson and scored Dexter Fowler. Rizzo finished the game 1 for 4, which included striking out once. He now as a slash line of .321/.471/.513. 

Phillies' first baseman Ryan Howard earned 10-and-5 no-trade rights Saturday, reaching 10 years of service time (and at least five with the same team).

Despite Howard's newfound no-trade rights, it's not believed that his status would affect a potential trade, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. His contract had already allowed him to block trades to all but nine teams.

"I don't think it's a big deal," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said the effect of Howard's new rights on a potential trade. "It's a big deal for him, for two reasons: I think he should be recognized for [having] the most games played at first base in our franchise. That's a pretty awesome feat, No. 1. And No. 2, obviously he's been a long-standing member of this club and has had a great deal to do with the success."

Howard, a former Rookie of the Year and MVP, has hit just .177/.235/.380 with four home runs and 10 RBI in 79 at-bats.

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores is not in the lineup for a second straight day Sunday against the Nationals.

Flores has started 21 of his team's 25 games at the shortstop position, but Ruben Tejada will get the call for a second straight day. Tejada was 1 for 3 Saturday but is just 4 for 21 with three walks and two doubles on the season, while Flores has hit .240/.278/.387 with three home runs and eight RBI in 75 at-bats. Flores has also committed errors in three straight starts.

"We're hoping a couple of days refreshes him and gets him back on track," manager Terry Collins said Sunday morning, per ESPN New York.

The Mets are favorites (-110) against the Nationals Sunday.

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt went 1 for 4 at the plate in Arizona's 6-4 loss to the Dodgers on Saturday.

Goldschmidt did his damage in the first inning, ripping a two-run homer over the center field wall, his sixth of the season. Goldschmidt is now hitting .341 with 22 RBI in 85 at-bats.

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores sat out Saturday's game, and he may get a second consecutive day off on Sunday. 

Manager Terry Collins said that Flores needs a mental break. He committed his seventh error of the season on Friday, although Collins said that didn't lead to the benching. 

"After last night, you can tell, this guy just needs to take a deep breath and forget about it for a day," Collins said, per NJ.com. "With Monday off, we've talked about whether or not we even give him tomorrow (Sunday) off. Just to let him get some energy back, forget about what's happened and let's move forward."

Cubs second baseman Addison Russell and first baseman Anthony Rizzo collided in the second inning of Saturday's game.

The two infielders were chasing a bloop single to short left field and crashed into each other.

"That was full speed," Rizzo said. "Luckily, it was more bodies colliding than heads." 

Both players stayed in the game and contributed to the Cubs' offense in a loss to Milwaukee.

Rizzo went 1 for 3 with a solo home run, his third of the year, to produce the only run of the day for Chicago. Russell singled and went 1 for 3.  

The Mets gave several regulars a rest on Saturday. 

Right fielder Curtis Granderson, catcher Kevin Plawecki and shortstop Wilmer Flores are all out of the starting lineup. 

John Mayberry makes his third start of the year in right, batting leadoff. Ruben Tejada makes his fourth start at short, batting seventh. Luke Recker will catch and bat eighth.