MLB Player News

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo has been on fire lately, and has improved his strikeout rate.

Rizzo worked to fix a hitch in his swing April 28, and has been strong since. One of Rizzo's biggest issues early in the year was his high strikeout rate, which had pushed his average below .200. Since he fixed his swing, Rizzo has struck out just five times in his last 32 at-bats.

As Ed Gauna pointed out recently, Rizzo is currently enjoying a seven-game hitting streak. After a questionable start to the season, he's starting to live up to his lofty Fantasy potential.

Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera has struggled to open the year, and is striking out more often.

Cabrera is striking out at a career-high 22.6 percent rate this year. He's also seen his swinging strike rate rise from 7.3 percent to 8.2 percent. Cabrera is hitting just .233/.307/.437 to begin the season. Cabrera is showing slightly increased power, so it could be that he's utilized a slighty different approach early in the year.

Cabrera's average has never been a problem for Fantasy owners in the past, so there's a chance he bounces back from his early struggles. 

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt had a season-high four hits and continued his dominance against Dodgers starting pitcher Chris Capuano during Monday's 9-2 win. Goldschmidt homered for the sixth time this season and drove in three runs, while going 3 for 3 against Capuano.

Goldschmidt is now batting .800 (12 for 15) with three doubles, three home runs and nine RBI in his career against Capuano.

"I think after Goldy got the second hit, Capuano just kind of looked at him and said, 'Oh my gosh.'" manager Kirk Gibson said, per MLB.com. "It's incredible. It's pretty incredible. It's not very common."

Even Capuano is baffled by Goldschmidt's success against him.

"The ball Goldschmidt hit out, I got that one in there and he still hit it out," Capuano said. "It seems like even when I make good pitches Goldschmidt finds a way to get it to the outfield or find a hole. He's got a good approach against me."

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo extended his hitting streak to seven games in Monday's series opener against the Rangers. He went 3 for 4 with a home run and four RBI. Rizzo also walked once in the 9-2 win.

The 23-year-old singled in two runs in the fourth inning before hitting a double in the sixth. Then in the eighth, he had a two-run homer off Derek Lowe for his ninth HR.

Rizzo is batting .464 (13 for 28) during his streak with six RBI.

Marlins second baseman Donovan Solano is expected to be placed on the 15-day disabled list with discomfort in his left side.

Manager Mike Redmond told MLB.com the 25-year-old has an intercostal issue.

"He's no better. He's the same," Redmond said Monday. "We're going to have to figure out what we're going to do. We're playing short-handed a lot. He can go out there and play defense, but he cannot turn it loose swinging the bat. We're going to have to figure it out, and we may have to make a move."

Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera homered twice Monday during a win over the Athletics. Cabrera hit his homers off starter Jarrod Parker, once in the first and again in the fifth. 

Cabrera, who has four homers, went 2 for 4 with a walk and three runs scored. The 27-year-old has hit in three-straight games and nine of his last 10 to raise his average to .233. He also 10 RBI in that stretch. 

Astros slugger Chris Carter is expected to see more time at first base and designated hitter, the Houston Chronicle reports Monday. Carter has mostly played in left field, but that has not been successful. 

Carter is batting .207 with six homers and 14 RBI over 111 at-bats. He's 1 for 14 (.071) in 15 May plate appearances with five strikeouts. 

Marlins second baseman Donovan Solano was out of the lineup for a third-straight game Monday night against the Padres. He has been dealing with lingering tightness in his left side.

Solano has a six-game hitting streak and has gone 10 for 26 (.385) with a homer and three RBI over that span.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman finished a triple shy of the cycle and drove in three runs during a 9-4 rout of the Mets Sunday. He went 3 for 5 with a solo homer off Jeurys Familia in the sixth inning -- his second of the season and first since returning from the disabled list.

Freeman has now registered a hit in three consecutive games to improve his season average to .313. He has collected three RBI in four separate outings on the year.

Indians catcher Carlos Santana continued his season-long hot streak with his sixth home run in Sunday's loss to Minnesota.

Santana finished 2 for 3 with a walk and the home run. He's now hitting an absurd .379/.471/.690. His batting average ranks second to Miguel Cabrera and his on-base and slugging percentages each lead the major leagues among players qualified for the batting title.