MLB Player News

Goldschmidt went 1-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and two strikeouts in Friday's 6-5 win over the Nationals.

With two hits and eight strikeouts over the last three games, Goldschmidt seems to be pressing of late at the dish, but his sterling track record suggests he'll be able to turn it around before long. Fortunately for the Diamondbacks, they've remained effective as an offensive unit even as their top player has struggled, as Arizona has won two of those three contests while producing 21 runs.

Bell went 4-for-6 with a double, a triple, a run scored and four RBI in Friday's 13-5 win over the Rockies.

The 24-year-old greatly enjoyed his first game in Coors Field, as so many have before him. He now has a .333/.375/.567 slash line with a home run and eight RBI in eight games since the All-Star break, and with the Pirates' offense back at full strength following the return of Starling Marte, Bell should see plenty of run-producing opportunities down the stretch.

Gurriel went 4-for-5 with a two-run homer Friday against the Orioles.

Gurriel blasted his 12th homer of the year to open up a three-run lead for the Astros in the first inning of a winning effort. The 33-year-old has become a much better hitter in his second year in the majors, as he's posting an excellent .300 batting average along with a solid .497 slugging percentage, making him an excellent value for fantasy owners.

Stassi was sent down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday.

Stassi heads to Lehigh Valley with the return of Howie Kendrick (hamstring) to the big-league club. During 51 games with the Phillies this season, Stassi has hit just .167/.278/.295 with two home runs and seven RBI. He will continue to serve as organizational depth while looking to bounce back at the Triple-A level.

The Athletics recalled Olson from Triple-A Nashville on Friday.

He was sent to Nashville on July 3 but returns to the big show as the A's look to give more time to their younger players. Olson should piece together time in right field, first base and designated hitter. The 23-year-old has clubbed 19 home runs and posted a .267/.370/.563 over 292 plate appearances for Nashville this year, his second go-round at that level, and already has four big flies in 49 at-bats this year with Oakland.

The Indians have shown interest in acquiring Cabrera, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports.

As Crasnick notes, the Tribe is looking for a utility player if it can't land a star. The Mets had planned to have Cabrera take groundballs at third base to increase his versatility to them and, more importantly, potential trade partners. Cabrera started his major-league career with Cleveland, and a homecoming could rejuvenate his performance a bit, especially in its often dangerous lineup. A new opportunity could make him more useful in fantasy leagues, especially if he moves to the AL and can help single-universe clubs.

Freeman (illness) is in the starting lineup Thursday against the Dodgers, playing third base and batting third, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Freeman left Wednesday's bout with flu-like symptoms, but it seems like that was a minor blip on the radar in the grand scheme of things. He'll resume his normal spot in the heart of Atlanta's order looking to get the Braves in the thick of the playoff race.

Cron went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 7-0 win over the Nationals.

The 27-year-old got a start against the left-handed Gio Gonzalez and connected on his fourth homer of the season. Cron has been shuttled back and forth between the majors and the minors, as well as having his role drastically changed on a regular basis by manager Mike Scioscia, all of which has severely diminished his fantasy value after contributing 32 long balls over the past two seasons. He is currently in a platoon at first base, but Cron could carve out a larger role if he can outperform Luis Valbuena and his .183 batting average.

Mountcastle was called up to Double-A Bowie on Thursday, Steve Melewski of MASN Sports reports.

Mountcastle will make his first start with Bowie at third base against Altoona on Thursday. The 20-year-old was hitting .314/.343/.542 with 15 home runs and 47 RBI during 88 games with High-A Frederick upon his promotion. Mountcastle will get a chance to see how he stacks up at the next level, with a spotlight on his K:BB that was sitting at 61:14 during his time with Frederick. The top prospect will need to improve on those numbers in order to continue his progression for the Orioles.

Cabrera will start taking groundballs at third base, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

The Mets want to build versatility among their infielders with the impending arrival of top prospect Amed Rosario, who may show up around the trade deadline and will prompt more shuffling among Cabrera, Jose Reyes and, when he returns, Neil Walker (hamstring). Even with diminished playing time, Cabrera, who may wind up eligible at second base, third base and shortstop by season's end, can help many deep mixed fantasy clubs with his sometimes standout power. If another club trades for him and provides him with a more concrete opportunity, he'll get a boost.