MLB Player News

What was expected has become official: Justin Bour has been promoted by the Marlins from Triple-A New Orleans.

The first baseman certainly earned the callup with a stat line of .330/.407/.562 with nine homers and 36 RBI in 203 at-bats.

Bour, who just turned 26 years old last week, has yet to play in a major league game.

The Marlins are expected to select the contract of first baseman Justin Bour from Triple-A New Orleans Wednesday, according to the Sun-Sentinel. Bour would take the roster spot opened up by sending infielder Derek Dietrich down.

Bour is hitting .330 with nine home runs for the Zephyrs. He was selected in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft this year. 

Reds first baseman Joey Votto didn't take part in the team's pregame workout Tuesday, but not because he suffered a setback in his strained left quadriceps.

Votto, who was expected to take part in batting practice as well as other on-field activities Tuesday, could not do so as rain swept into the area. Batting practice was cut short, and Votto was unable to take groundballs or run the bases due to the weather.

In spit of that, he told MLB.com he feels like he is past the injury, and now has the strength back in his leg. He has been out since May 15 as a result of the injury.

"I feel like I was before I got hurt earlier in the season," he said. "If I can get to a good place, you're going to see a little bit more of the younger version of me."

Votto is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment once he can hit, field and run without trouble. He will need at least a few games in the minors before he can return to action. 

For the first time all season, Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt was not in the lineup Tuesday. That snaps his streak of 59 straight starts, one shy of Travis Lee's team record for first basemen set in 1998.

Goldschmidt is hitting .299 with 10 homers, 22 doubles and 38 RBI.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto will go through a full practice routine with the team Tuesday, reports MLB.com. It's a good sign for Votto, who's been out since May 15 with a quad injury and coudl start a rehab assignment this week.

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores drove in six runs during a 2-for-5 performance Monday, smacking a two-run double in the sixth inning and slugging a ninth-inning grand slam in his team's 11-2 win over the Phillies.

Flores hadn't recorded an extra-base hit in 45 at-bats coming into Monday's game, and the grand slam was just the second home run of his career. Flores has hit .240/.283/.320 with seven RBI in 50 at-bats.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto has been working out in Cincinnati and could start a minor-league rehab assignment at some point this week, MLB.com reports. He has been sidelined since May 15 because of a quad injury.

"We discussed the importance of it," manager Bryan Price said. "His situation -- with the soreness and the strength deficit he had when we went on the road to Philly and Washington -- was pretty significant. The only way really to have any understanding of if this is behind him is to play."

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard went 2 for 6 with a three-run home run in his team's 5-4 loss to the Mets Saturday.

Howard knocked his home run in the seventh inning to reduce his team's deficit from four to one. It was his third home run and third multi-hit performance in the past week, giving him a .230/.304/.425 line with 10 home runs and 37 RBI in 200 at-bats.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo was not in the team's starting lineup Friday against the Brewers.

Rizzo is mired in a bit of a slump, collecting six hits over his last 10 games. He's also struggled against Brewers starter Marco Estrada. Over his career, Rizzo has picked up just one hit in 21 at-bats against Estrada. It's assumed to be a normal day of rest for Rizzo, and he should return to the lineup soon.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto was spotted taking groundballs Thursday, as he continues to make progress in his recovery from a quad injury.

In addition to working out on the field, Votto may begin taking live batting practice in the coming days, manager Bryan Price told the Cincinnati Enquirer Thursday. Votto remains without a specific timetable to return to action, despite this progress.