MLB Player News

Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals.

Calhoun went 2 for 4 with a double, a home run and three RBI Saturday. The Angels will use shortstop Erick Aybar as the leadoff man with Calhoun on the bench, and Collin Cowgill will play right field and bat seventh Sunday. The Angels are also starting Taylor Featherston over Johnny Giavotella at second base.

The Angels are favorites (-115) against the Royals Sunday.

Astros first baseman Chris Carter is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.

Carter has had trouble getting things going in the first week of the season, and he's just 1 for 19 with one walk and eight strikeouts. The team will start Marwin Gonzalez at first base Sunday.

The Astros are road favorites (-120) against the Rangers Sunday.

Indians catcher Brett Hayes will join the major-league roster Tuesday to serve as the team's backup catcher while Yan Gomes recovers from a knee sprain, MLB.com reports.

Hayes hit just .135/.151/.212 in 52 at-bats with the Royals last season. First baseman Carlos Santana will be the team's emergency catcher Sunday if Roberto Perez can't go the full game.

Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun hit the second pitch of the game for a leadoff home run in Saturday's 6-4 loss to Kansas City. 

Calhoun went two for four, scoring twice and driving in three. In addition to his first homer, he hit his second double of the year. The performance lifted his average to .200 on the season. 

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt went 1 for 4 Saturday with a home run and three RBI in Arizona's 6-0 win over the Dodgers.

Goldschmidt snagged his first RBI in the third inning after a fielding error led to A.J. Pollock scoring. Then in the seventh, Goldschmidt ripped the first pitch he saw from Clayton Kershaw to deep left center for a home run, driving in Ender Inciarte.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman went 1 for 4 at the plate with a solo home run in Atlanta's 5-3 win over the Mets Saturday.

Freeman, who also struck out once, took pitcher Dillon Gee to deep right field to lead off the second inning. It was Freeman's first of the year and 87th of his six-year career.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto hit home runs in his first two at bats in a 5-4 win over the Cardinals on Friday. Votto hit two-run shots in the first and third innings, giving him three home runs on the year, or half as many as he had all of last season. 

"The one was off a pretty good pitch," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said, per the Associated Press. "He just went out and drove it. We've seen him hit some pretty good pitches in the past, and he did today."

'He was terrific,'' manager Bryan Price said. ''He's doing a lot of things really well. It's nice to have him back with his athleticism.''

Votto had his tenth career multi-homer game and first since May 13, 2012. 

Votto was two for three with a walk. He has eight RBI on the year and is hitting .412.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo went two for two in a 5-1 loss to the Rockies on Friday. 

Rizzo scored the only run of the game for Chicago. He was also hit by a pitch twice. 

Angels outfielder Matt Joyce was given the night off against Kansas City left-hander Jason Vargas. It's the second time this season he's been given a game off against a southpaw. Joyce has just one hit in his first eight at-bats this season.

"He's going to do it [hit against lefties]," hitting coach Baylor said of Joyce, per the Orange County Register. "He's going to be an important factor for us, no doubt. He's got too good of a swing."

Collin Cowgill took his spot in left field and is batting eighth. Meanwhile, David Freese will bat in the cleanup spot, with C.J. Cron fifth.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard was left out of the starting lineup Friday against the Nationals for the first time in four games this season. Darin Ruf drew the start at first base with left-hander Gio Gonzalez on the hill.

Howard, who is batting .083 (1 for 12) through three games, is a career .224 hitter against lefties. 

Ruf, who made a third straight start Friday (started in left field previous two days), has no hits in seven at-bats this season.