MLB Player News

Angels otufielder Kole Calhoun returned to the lineup Saturday but was 0 for 3 at the plate, making him 1 for 12 in his last five games.

Calhoun was held out of Friday's lineup due to a triceps injury suffered the previous day. He has hit .273/.333/.295 in 44 spring at-bats.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is better known as a power hitter. But Saturday, the club gave him a chance to bat leadoff in a split-squad game.

"I think I'm your prototypical leadoff hitter," Rizzo said. "I'm going to try to see some pitches, get on base. We don't steal much on this team anyway."

Rizzo, who normally bats third in the order, gave the lineup a breath of fresh air, according to manager Joe Maddon.

"It kind of freshens them up a bit," Maddon said. "The big thing is to protect him, and if you don't, he's not going to get pitched to."

Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun was not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Diamondbacks, according to the Los Angeles Times. Calhoun was removed from Thursday's game in the second inning because of a right triceps contusion. He is 12 for 41 with one double and three walks in Cactus League play.

Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun came out of Thursday's spring matchup in the Cubs in the second inning due to a right triceps contusion, the team announced.

Calhoun was hit in his right shoulder while leading off the game and slid hard into second base on a double play in the first inning. He played the bottom of the first inning in right field but did not return to the field for the second inning. Manger Mike Scioscia said after the game that the outfielder was removed as a precaution and the injury isn't expected to be serious, MLB.com reports.

Calhoun is 12 for 41 with one double and three walks this spring.

Wilmer Flores returned to the Mets' lineup and will hit second Thursday night against the Yankees in Grapefruit League play, according to ESPN. Flores was sidelined since Sunday, after he fouled a pitch off his left foot. He is hitting .342/.350/.605 in 38 at-bats.

Braves outfielder Joey Terdoslavich (wrist) made the trip for Thursday's spring game against the Pirates and is available to play, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Terdoslavich missed a few days after hurting his wrist Saturday.

Terdoslavich is batting .278 (10 for 36) with one home run, six doubles, seven RBI, eight runs and 12 strikeouts in 18 spring games.

Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun (hand) and outfielder Matt Joyce (hamstring) both returned to the spring lineup Wednesday against the Indians after getting a day off due to injury Tuesday.

Calhoun started in right field and hit leadoff, while Joyce hit third and started in left field.

Daniel Murphy (hamstring) and Wilmer Flores (foot) both took part in infield drills at the Mets' spring training facility on Wednesday, according to the New York Daily News. Flores, who fouled a pitch off his left foot Sunday, played shortstop, while Murphy lined up at first base. Both players expect to be ready for Opening Day.

"I feel good," Murphy said, per the New York Daily News. "It feels good. I mean, I feel better than I did a couple of days ago, when it happened. So each day I'll hopefully progress, and we'll see how it feels tomorrow. I don't want to come out and say I'll be ready, and then not be ready."

While the Phillies were unable to trade first baseman Ryan Howard this offseason, it wasn't because of a lack of effort on Howard's part, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman.

Howard, who was trying to accommodate the Phillies' wishes, redid his approved trade list of nine teams by replacing NL teams that has been on his list for a long time.

The Orioles, Royals and Rays were among the new nine-team list Howard provided. All three teams are believed to have contacted the Phillies, but all three teams went in different directions. The Royals signed Kendrys Morales, the Orioles re-signed Delmon Young and the Rays traded for John Jaso to help with their DH needs.

The remaining organizations on Howard's list of nine teams he could be traded without approval include Tigers, Angels, Mariners, Yankees, Rangers and Red Sox, as ESPN first reported.

Howard is batting .217 (10 for 46) with one double, three home runs and eight RBI in 16 spring games. He also has 13 strikeouts and one walk.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard went 1 for 4 with a solo home run Tuesday against the Braves. It was Howard's third home run of spring training and eighth RBI.

Howard, who also struck out once, is now hitting .217 with 13 strikeouts this spring.