MLB Player News

Reds first baseman Joey Votto has been slotted into the second spot of the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Rays.

It's the first time since 2008 that Votto has been placed in the No. 2 spot to begin a game, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. Typical No. 2 hitter Brandon Phillips has slid down one spot into Votto's usual place in the lineup.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu had another monster game at the plate on Thursday registering his second multi-home run game of the season in a 7-3 win over the Indians.

Abreu took Danny Salazar deep for a solo home run in the second inning and Josh Outman deep for a two-run shot in the fifth inning. He finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored and three RBI.

Abreu has six hits in his last 13 at-bats with four homers and eight RBI over that span. He has 14 RBI in his first 10 games, the most by a White Sox player in his first 10 games since Ron Kittle had 14 in 1983.

Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera was back at the leadoff spot on Thursday, and recorded his second consecutive two-hit game, including his first home run of the season in a 7-3 loss to the White Sox in Chicago.

Cabrera took John Danks deep for a solo home run in the third inning. He added a double and finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored and one RBI. He is hitting .200 (7 for 35) with one home run and two RBI in 10 games.

Astros DH Chris Carter recorded his first RBI on a groundout during Wednesday's 7-3 loss to the Blue Jays. It's been a slow start for Carter, who is batting .185 (5 for 27) through eight games.

Carter does have four doubles, but he has no home runs and has struck out 13 times in 27 at-bats. Carter has drawn three walks.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo continued his strong play Wednesday against the Pirates, with his fourth multi-hit game in a row in a 7-5 win.

Rizzo had a season-high four hits, including his second and third extra-base hits with a pair of double. He drove in just one run, though he did score twice while finishing the game 4 for 5.

Rizzo opened the season with an 0-for-4 game, but has gone hitless just once since. He is hitting .375 with five RBI and five runs scored in eight at-bats. 

Slumping shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera has been dropped to eighth in the Indians lineup for the nightcap of the Wednesday doubleheader against the Padres.

Cabrera went 0-for-4 in the first game. He has just one hit in his last 19 at-bats and a .111 batting average on the season. He became so frustrated in the opener that he slammed his helmet to the ground after grounding out.

Yan Gomes will not have to crouch behind the plate again in the doubleheader nightcap for the Indians on Wednesday. But he will serve as the designated hitter against San Diego left-hander Robbie Erlin while Carlos Santana takes over as the starting catcher.

Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, whose 2013 struggles have carried over into this season, is set to lead off in the first game of the Wednesday doubleheader against San Diego.

Cabrera has just one hit in his last 15 at-bats and is hitting .130 on the year. His placement at the top of the order is due to the continued absence of Michael Bourn and left-hander Eric Stults starting for the Padres.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu enjoyed a big performance in his team's offensive rout Tuesday, going 2 for 5 with two home runs and five RBI as the White Sox rolled over the Rockies in Colorado.

Abreu hit his first home run of the season in the seventh inning of Tuesday's win and followed it up with another in the eighth. He's the co-leader in RBIs in the American League with 11, and he owns a .250/.359/.563 line in 32 at-bats.

If you play in a deep enough Fantasy league, you're probably already familiar with Chris Colabello. He was that independent league standout who reached the majors at age 29 last year only to look like he belonged in an independent league, hitting .194 in 160 at-bats.

But of course, he didn't do all of his damage in an independent league. In between his stints in the majors at Triple-A Rochester last year, he hit .352 with 24 home runs and a 1.066 OPS in 338 at-bats. Clearly, it doesn't get much better than that.

You need look no further than Kila Ka'aihue to know the Quadruple-A player is real, but given how different Colabello has looked to begin this season, I get the feeling we prematurely labeled him such. He was living a dream last year, getting a chance to play at a level he probably thought he'd never reach. Maybe he was nervous. Maybe he wanted so badly to prove he belonged that he never allowed himself to get comfortable. Just because he's 30 doesn't mean he's immune to all the mental hurdles we'd halfway expect to trip up a rookie.

Colabello has hit cleanup for the Twins since their third game of the season, so they never lost confidence in him. His minor-league numbers are obviously too good to be true, but since they don't put clear limits on the upside, he's a worthwhile gamble. In leagues deep enough that Justin Smoak and Lucas Duda are already owned, consider putting in a claim.