MLB Player News

Reds first baseman Joey Votto is likely headed back to the disabled list due to a lingering left quadriceps strain, sources told FOX Sports. He was on the DL from May 16-June 9 with the injury.

Votto was held out of the lineup for the second time in four games Sunday against the Brewers, but manager Bryan Price called it a planned day off. Though, Price admitted Votto is still not 100 percent and might not be the rest of the season.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto was out of the starting lineup Sunday against the Brewers for the second time in four games. However, it was not injury related and it was manager Bryan Price's call to give the veteran first baseman a day off, per the Cincinnati Enquirer.

"For Joey, it’s just a day off," Price said, per MLB.com. "We’re trying to be contentious of the fact that he is playing at well below 100 percent right now and trying to keep him as healthy as we can under the circumstances, which is challenging. He’s got some challenges, physically. I just thought it was a good idea to give him a day off today."

Votto is batting .250 with zero home runs and 11 RBI in 23 games since coming off the disabled list June 10.

"We knew the process when we initially put Joey on the disabled list that when we got him back, we weren’t going to be able to get him to 100 percent over the course of the regular season," Price said. "We decided to do some strengthening exercises and really work on getting the inflammation and a lot of the soreness out of there. We accomplished that to a certain degree. We knew we couldn’t get to 100 percent. Some days are better than others. This was my decision today not to play though I stay in contact with Joey on how he’s feeling. He didn’t ask to come out. I just thought it was a good day to give him a breather and reassess and get ready for tomorrow."

Angels designated hitter C.J. Cron launched a three-run homer in the team's eight-run seventh inning Saturday. Cron's blast traveled 410 feet to center, and he finished 2 for 5 with two runs scored.

He's hitting .295 with nine homers and 27 RBI in 149 at-bats.

Astros designated hitter Chris Carter blasted his second career grand slam in Saturday's 11-5 loss to the Angels. Carter's 403-foot shot to center in the third inning was his 15th homer of the season and gave him 35 RBI.

Carter also homered Friday, but is hitting just .189/.270/.426 on the year.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu belted his 27th home run Friday against the Mariners. 

Abreu stepped to the plate with one man on in the fifth inning. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Abreu hammered a 92 mph fastball out to left center for the two run shot. It was his only hit of the game. Abreu finished 1 for 4, with one run scored and two RBI. He's hitting .280/.330/.629 over 286 at-bats.

Twins outfielder Chris Colabello is in the lineup Friday against the Yankess, his first appearance in the majors since May 23.

Colabello was recalled to replace Joe Mauer on the active roster earlier in the week, after spending a month and a half at Triple-A Rochester. He hit .275/.347/.473 in 36 games in the minors. 

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt ended a streak of seven games without an RBI Thursday, as he drove in two runs in a 10-2 win over the Pirates.

Goldschmidt drove in both runs with his ninth-inning triple, the first of his season. He went 2 for 4 overall with a walk and a run scored in the win.

Goldschmidt has fallen a bit behind in the RBI race thanks to his recent dry spell. He still ranks third in the National League with 55 RBI, while hitting .308/.398/.545 in 325 at-bats. 

The Reds are hopeful first baseman Joey Votto can avoid a return trip to the disabled list, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

"We hope so," Jocketty said Thursday "He thinks he can. He's certainly made a difference."

Votto was placed on the disabled list with a quad injury in May before returning in mid-June, and he hasn't looked 100 percent at the plate, and manager Bryan Price noted recently that the first baseman had some "fatigue and tenderness" in his knee. Votto has hit .263/.374/.355 with no home runs and 10 RBI in 76 at-bats since his return.

Joey Votto hasn't slugged a home run for the Reds since May 10 - and he won't blast off Wednesday either unless he does so as a pinch-hitter. He's out of the lineup in San Diego.

Votto, who has not had a multi-hit game since June 21, boasts a stat line of .261/.399/.417. He has 22 RBI in 211 at-bats this season.

First baseman Justin Bour, who was demoted by the Marlins last week, has been promoted by the same team.

Bour spent much of June with Miami, but played sparingly and managed just one hit in his last nine at-bats.