MLB Player News

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo hit a two-out solo home run off A.J. Burnett in the first inning Sunday at Philadelphia, giving Travis Wood all the run support he would need in a 3-0 win. Wood tossed eight scoreless innings in the victory.

Rizzo's 14th home run was his fourth in his last 11 games. He's also batting .341 (14 for 41) with four doubles, nine runs and nine RBI in his last 11 games.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto is batting .316 (6 for 19) with two doubles and three RBI in five games since returning from a left quadriceps strain, which kept him sidelined for close to a month.

"I feel good. It's been a bit of an adjustment coming back but I feel totally fine," Votto said, per MLB.com. "Usually, the thing I pay attention to is the way I look and feel when I work before a game. During a game, most of it is instincts and trying to execute a plan. Before a game, you get a good idea of what your physical capacity is. And I feel great before the game. I'm hitting the ball well during batting practice. I'm capable of doing what I want to do."

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt went 1 for 4 with a two-run home run in his team's 6-4 loss to the Dodgers Saturday.

Goldschmidt extended his hitting streak to eight games with his home run, which was his third home run during the current streak. He has hit .309/.373/.560 with 14 home runs and 50 RBI in 275 at-bats.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto is playing at less than 100 percent, according to MLB Network Radio. 

"I don't think he's 100 percent, but I think he's being a warrior out there and we need him," third baseman Todd Frazier told the station. Votto has picked up four hits in three games since his return. He's hitting .267/.416/.459 over 146 at-bats.

Marlins designated hitter Justin Bour was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans after Wednesday's loss to the Rangers.

Bour made four appearances while with the Marlins, going 5 for 13 with one walk and two RBI. He returns to a .330/.407/.562 line with nine home runs and 36 RBI in 203 at-bats with New Orleans.

Marlins rookie designated hitter Justin Bour went 3 for 5 with two runs scored Tuesday against the Rangers, making him 5 for 11 since his callup. Bour has two RBI in the three games he's played.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman homered for the second time in three games Tuesday, cracking his 11th long ball in a 13-10 win over the Rockies. Freeman's solo shot was his only hit of the night, but he also drove in a run with a groundout, giving him 35 RBI this season.

Freeman is hitting .283/.373/.496. 

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo had a big game Tuesday, in a 7-3 win over the Pirates.

Rizzo went 3 for 4 in the game, with all three of his hits going for extra bases. He had two doubles, one of which drove in a run, and added a two-run home run in the first inning of the win.

Rizzo is hitting 8 for 25 over his last six games, with three home runs and eight RBI, raising his batting line for the season to .284/.406/.920 in 61 games.  

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt homered for the third time in six games Tuesday, in a 4-1 win over the Astros.

For much of the game, Goldschmidt's early solo home run was the only offense the Diamondbacks could muster. He ultimately reached base three times, finishing the game 2 for 3 with a walk, while scoring once and driving in one run.

Goldschmidt is putting together yet another strong season, ranking second in the National League in RBI (48) and runs scored (49). He is hitting .309/.374/.556 with 13 home runs in 259 at-bats as well.  

The Reds announced Tuesday they activated first baseman Joey Votto off the 15-day disabled list. Votto, who has been sidelined since mid-May with a left quadriceps strain, hit third in his return to the lineup Tuesday against the Dodgers.

He went 2 for 6 (.333) with two strikeouts and one run in two games on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville.