MLB Player News

Santana (head) is not in the lineup Saturday, but he has been cleared to play and he'll be available off the bench, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

This is encouraging news for Santana given that he was a candidate to land on the 7-day concussion DL as of Friday evening. While he'll likely get the full day off Saturday, it's still a positive that he'll be available off the bench if need be. With Santana's medical clearance, there's a distinct possibility that he'll be able to draw back into the lineup Sunday.

Cabrera (knee) may go on a rehab assignment as soon as Tuesday, ESPN's Adam Rubin reports.

The Mets just activated Jose Reyes after two rehab games with short-season Brooklyn, so Cabrera could be activated by next weekend if his rehab begins Tuesday. With Reyes currently slotted in as the team's shortstop, the Mets could desperately use Cabrera back, especially for the defensive upgrade.

Freeman went 2-for-4 with a home run, four RBI and two runs scored in an 8-5 victory over the Nationals on Friday.

The matchup with Nats ace Stephen Strasburg didn't faze Freeman one bit, as the first baseman connected on a three-run homer in the fifth inning to vault his team into the lead. On a Braves squad that ranks last in baseball in home runs by a significant margin, Freeman is the lone bat in the lineup who has consistently supplied power. His 22 homers put him just one short of his personal best, but the dead weight surrounding him in the lineup has resulted in Freeman generating a meager 53 RBI and 65 runs on the season.

Howard went 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBI in Friday's 10-6 win over the Rockies.

Howard's homer was a 457-foot grand slam off right-hander Jon Gray. He is hitting .386 with five home runs and 13 RBI since the All-Star break.

Santana (head) was able to partake in some pregame activities Friday but the team still hasn't ruled out the possibility of placing him on the 7-day DL, MLB.com reports.

Santana may avoid landing on the DL with a concussion but he's still not a sure bet to return over the weekend. A lot will depend on how he reacts to an increase in activity over the next couple of days.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly says he doesn't know exactly what is going on with Bour (ankle) and doesn't expect him back until September, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

This is bad news for the Marlins who continue to make a push for a playoff appearance. It looked like Bour would return at some point this week, but that timetable has been pushed back at least a couple of more weeks. The Marlins will continue to use a platoon approach at first base with Chris Johnson, Derek Dietrich and Miguel Rojas.

Cron will begin his rehab assignment at Triple-A Salt Lake on Friday.

With this latest news, it seems likely that Cron will be back in action with the Angels by the end of next week. Before getting injured, Cron was posting a career-best line of .278/.333/.475. Until he returns, Jefry Marte is expected to continue starting at first for the Angels.

Santana (head) is out of the lineup Friday against the Angels, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Santana will have the night off after he was hit by a line drive Thursday. Cleveland is expected to update his status before Friday's game, so more information regarding his recovery and eventual return should be available soon. Mike Napoli will start at first base during Santana's absence.

Rizzo went 2-for-5 and drove home the game-winning run with a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning of a victory over the Cardinals on Thursday.

Though Rizzo hasn't hit a home run since he hit two of them on July 20, he's still been hitting and driving in runs, as he's slashing .278/.376/.458 with 12 runs and 11 RBI in 19 games. Meanwhile, the Cubs have won their last 10. We could be looking at the National League MVP.

Parmelee (hamstring) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last week, the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reports.

Parmelee has been sidelined since early June with a hamstring strain, but he appears to be nearing a return as he's worked his way up to minor league action for five games. He's racked up four hits -- including a home run -- in that span. It's unclear if the first baseman will rejoin the major league club when he's ready, but even if he is kept in the minors, Parmelee will likely get another chance in the big leagues when the rosters expand in September.