MLB Player News

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard hit his first home run of the season Wednesday.

After striking out against Robbie Ross in the first, Howard was able to take a slider out to center field in the top of the third. Howard struggled in the game otherwise, striking out and lining into a double-play in his final at-bat. Still, it was encouraging to see Howard take a left-hander deep.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo hit his first home run of the season in the 12th inning Wednesday to break a 2-2 tie in his team's 16-inning loss to the Pirates.

Rizzo was 0 for 6 in his first two games heading into the 12th inning but came through with a clutch home run in the pressure situation. Unfortunately, the Pirates were able to tie things up in the bottom of the 12th before going on to win in the 16th inning. Rizzo, who finished the game 1 for 5, is looking to improve upon last season's .233/.323/.419 line.

The Mets made a few roster moves Wednesday. They recalled infielder Wilmer Flores and pitcher Kyle Farnsworth from Triple-A Las Vegas, while taking pitcher Ryan Reid off the 40-man roster.

The Indians have bounced shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera from seventh in the batting order in the opener to leadoff in the second game of the regular season Wednesday in Oakland.

Terry Francona was encouraged by his performance this spring as Cabrera seeks to recover from a miserable year at the plate in 2013. Cabrera will likely continue to hit at that spot against left-handers such as Wednesday starter Scott Kazmir until Michael Bourn (hamstring) returns to the lineup.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman bounced back from a hitless debut in a big way Tuesday socking two home runs to lead the team to a 5-2 win over the Brewers.

Freeman reached base four times, after going 0 for 4 in the opener. He hit a pair of solo home runs, in the sixth and eighth innings, and added a single as he finished the game 3 for 3 with two runs and two RBI.

Freeman signed a massive extension this offseason, and is off to a good start in his attempt to live up to it.

Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is in the leadoff spot for Tuesday's game against Oakland's lefty starter Scott Kazmir.

Cabrera went 1 for 3 with one walk and one run while batting seventh in Monday's season opener, which came against a right-handed starter. Cabrera shifts to the top of the lineup against the lefty Tuesday. The switch hitter as performed slightly better against southpaws over his career, hitting .286/.338/.424 with 18 home runs in 944 at-bats against lefties. He didn't see one at-bat from the No. 1 spot in the lineup last season.

Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg made some changes to his lineup Tuesday against the Rangers with left-handed starter Martin Perez on the hill, which included moving slugger Ryan Howard to the fifth spot in the lineup. It's the first time he hasn't hit cleanup since June 29, 2008, per MLB.com.

Howard has hit .276 with a .625 slugging percentage, .980 OPS, 11 doubles, 26 home runs and 65 RBI in 70 career games batting fifth.

The Mets announced Tuesday infielder Wilmer Flores and reliever Kyle Farnsworth will be in New York Wednesday. Both players could be recalled from the minors with second baseman Daniel Murphy on a paternity leave and closer Bobby Parnell sidelined due to an elbow injury.

Marlins third baseman Ed Lucas had a bittersweet day Thursday, but the bitter outweighed the sweet.

Hours after being told he made the team, he was hit by a pitch on the left hand. It has since been diagnosed that he sustained a non-displaced fracture.

The injury will result in Donovan Solano, whom Lucas beat out for the job, returning to the major league team and serving in that role, per MLB.com.

The Marlins have dispatched outfielder Jake Marisnick and second baseman Donovan Solano to Triple-A New Orleans and sent shortstops Juan Diaz and Austin Nola, outfielder Matt Angle and pitchers Chris Hatcher and Henry Rodriguez to minor league camp.