MLB Player News

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Reds, but not due to a setback with his back. Rizzo is getting a planned day off after making his return to the lineup following a three-week absence Monday.

He is expected back in the lineup as early as Wednesday's series finale.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who hasn't played since Aug. 26 because of a back strain, was back in the lineup Monday against the Reds.

Rizzo at one point talked like he could miss the rest of the season with the injury but expressed optimism after picking up a bat last week. He was batting .289 (48 for 166) with 12 home runs in his final 42 games before the injury.

After going three weeks without a home run, White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu homered for the second time in as many days Sunday against the Twins, finishing 2 for 4 with two RBI. The solo shot in the ninth inning gave him 35 on the season, tying the White Sox rookie record set by Ron Kittle in 1983.

"He's a good hitter so this isn't a surprise that he hit a home run,” manager Robin Ventura told ESPN.com. "He's been pretty consistent just as a hitter. The power's going to be there. He went through a little stretch where he wasn't hitting many home runs, but it's there."

In addition to the home runs, Abreu is also batting .322 on the season, including .354 since the beginning of June -- a span of 89 games.

"He's a better hitter than he is a power hitter and he's a heck of a power hitter too, so that’s the way I look at him," teammate Paul Konerko said. "He's not just a slugger."

According to MLB.com, Reds first baseman Joey Votto was scheduled to swing at underhand flips in a batting cage Sunday, the latest step in his rehabilitation from a strained left quadriceps that has sidelined him since July 8.

"Getting in there, it's the first time I'll get to work in the cage with [hitting coaches] Don Long and Lee Tinsley. That's the final step before taking batting practice on the field," Votto said.

Votto says he's made "tremendous progress" and still hopes to return before the end of the season. Hitting flips is supposed to up the intensity he puts on his leg.

"It's day-to-day, station-to-station," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "Everything he's been doing has been increased effort from when he takes ground balls, moving laterally side-to-side, the running -- it's just a progression."

So much for the power outage of White Sox slugger Jose Abreu. Abreu slammed a solo home run in the ninth inning Sunday that went for naught in a loss to Minnesota. It was his first since Aug. 22.

Abreu had already ripped a run-scoring single in the fourth inning as his stat line improved to .322/.384/.604 on the season.

MLB.com reports that Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is looking to make his return to the Cubs' lineup on Monday, when they open up a home series against the Reds. Rizzo has missed 17 games with a back strain, and he was out of the starting lineup again for Sunday's tilt at the Pirates.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo remains out of the starting lineup Saturday.

Rizzo has been sidelined since Aug. 26 due to a back strain, and he may end up missing the remainder of the season. He has hit 278/.375/.514 with 30 home runs and 71 RBI in 486 at-bats.

Angels designated hitter C.J. Cron made his return to the starting lineup Friday night against Houston. Cron was not in the lineup since Monday because of a forearm injury, though he did make a appearance Thursday as a defensive substitute. He has five hits over his first 11 at-bats since being called up in September.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo hoped he could return to the lineup for the weekend series in Pittsburgh, but it won't be Friday night. He remains sidelined with a strained back.

Speculation seems to have cooled that Rizzo will miss the rest of the season, however. He has been out since Aug. 26.

Angels designated hitter C.J. Cron has been unavailable since Monday because of a sore wrist, the Los Angeles Times reports. Cron has five hits over his first 11 at-bats since being called up in September. He is expected to return this weekend against the Astros.