MLB Player News

Mets starting pitcher Jonathan Niese did what he had to do to pick up a win on Sunday against the Diamondbacks.

Niese wasn't overly impressive, but he did limit Arizona to just three runs over 6 2/3 innings of work. He struck out three batters and allowed three walks in the process of picking up his fifth win of the year. Niese gave up a home run to MPV candidate Paul Goldschmidt in the fourth inning, but that was about as bad as it got for him.

Niese (5-8) has a 3.61 ERA in 104 2/3 innings this season.

Marlins first baseman Justin Bour went 3 for 4 and drove in three runs in Sunday's win over Cincinnati. 

Bour doubled twice, giving him nine on the year and three in the last two games.

Bour is 5 for 9 with five RBI in the last two games before the All Star Break. 

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard blasted a solo home run on Saturday, but it wasn't enough to avoid the 8-5 loss to th Giants. Howard's home run, his 15th of the year, gave the Phillies a brief 4-1 lead in the sixth inning.

Howard has gone deep twice in his last four games.

Marlins first baseman Justin Bour continued his hot hitting on Saturday, as he went 2 for 4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored in the 14-3 rout of the Reds. 

Bour is batting .265 with three homers and 10 RBI in 10 games this month.

With lefty ace Madison Bumgarner on the mound Friday, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard will be held out of the starting lineup in the series-opener versus the Giants. Howard has struggled against southpaws this season to the tune of a .138 average (9 for 65).

Specifically, Howard is just 2 for 11 lifetime against Bumgarner. So, he will take a seat on Friday with Darin Ruf making the start at first base. 

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard has been benched often lately against left-handers. He was not about to start against Dodgers super southpaw Clayton Kershaw on Wednesday night.

Howard is indeed out of the lineup for the fourth time in the last 11 games. He has just nine hits in 64 at-bats against lefties this season.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (wrist) could be ready to come off the 15-day disabled list as soon as the first day after the All-Star break, assistant general manager John Coppolella told reporters Wednesday. 

However, if Freeman isn't ready when the second half starts July 17, he is expected back before the end of July, according to Coppolella.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto was on his game Tuesday against the Nationals. The former MVP went 3 for 5 with a double, a homer and three RBI in the 5-0 win. Votto hit an RBI-double in the first inning to give the Reds and early 1-0 lead.

Then, with his team up 2-0 in the third, Votto smoked a solo home run to right field off Max Scherzer. It was Votto's 15th home run of the season, and his first since June 13.

Votto has been struggling at the plate recently, as the three-hit effort on Tuesday gives him a .211 average over his last 10 ballgames. Tuesday's homer was his first extra-base hit in his last 19 games.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard was held out of Tuesday's lineup at the Los Angeles Dodgers, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Howard was replaced at first by Darin Ruf, who will bat fourth. Over his last 15 games, Howard is hitting .143 with one home run and eight RBI.

The Phillies are the underdogs (-300) at Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo homered during a 7-4 win in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Cardinals. He connected for a two-run homer off Randy Choate in the eighth inning -- his 16th home run this season.

Rizzo went 2 for 3 with two runs, two walks and one strikeout. He ended his home run drought at 13 games.

He entered play Tuesday mired in a 4-for-32 slump in his previous nine games.