MLB Player News

Votto (shoulder) remains shut down from baseball activities, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

It was reported last week that Votto should be ready to return from his left shoulder soreness by early September, but clearly that's not happening. Expect the Reds to use Christian Encarnacion-Strand at first base and Jake Fraley at designated hitter against righties until Votto is ready.

Candelario is absent from the lineup for the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Reds.

Cody Bellinger and Nick Madrigal will handle the corner infield spots and Christopher Morel will be the designated hitter. Candelario figures to be in the lineup for the second game.

Cooper isn't in the Padres' lineup Thursday against the Giants.

After going 0-for-9 across his last two games, Cooper will get a day off to regroup during Thursday's series opener. Matthew Batten will start at first base and bat eighth while Cooper rests.

Diaz went 1-for-4 with a double and a walk Wednesday against the Marlins.

Diaz has started a pair of games since returning from soreness caused by a hit by pitch. He hasn't been slowed by the issue, as he's reached base four times in 10 plate appearances since rejoining the lineup. Diaz hasn't been able to maintain the spike in power he showed at the beginning of the season, but he's maintained a .327 batting average and has racked up 79 runs scored across 113 games.

France (wrist) went 0-for-3 with a walk in a win over the Athletics on Wednesday.

France was back in the lineup and starting at first base after being removed from Tuesday's game due to getting struck on the left wrist during a pickoff attempt. The veteran infielder was able to get on base via a free pass to push his OBP over the last 11 games to an elite .404, and his ability to play a full game seemingly corroborates he'll be unimpeded by his wrist contusion moving forward.

Calhoun went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run and a walk in Wednesday's 5-2 extra-inning win over the Twins.

Calhoun had a quiet game until the 10th inning, when he swatted his third homer of the season. All three long balls have come since Aug. 19. The veteran has seen most of his playing time at first base since he was traded from the Dodgers to the Guardians in early August. He's slashing .273/.356/.455 with 15 RBI and 13 runs scored across 87 plate appearances. Once Josh Naylor (oblique) returns, either he or Calhoun take over as the primary designated hitter, while the other would likely handle first base.

Noda went 2-for-4 with an RBI double in a loss to the Mariners on Wednesday.

Noda continued to operate out of the leadoff spot and snapped a 1-for-14 funk with his second multi-hit effort over the last six games. The 27-year-old came within a hair of his second multi-RBI tally in that same period on his seventh-inning flyout, but Esteury Ruiz was thrown out at the plate. Despite the recent brief skid, Noda has been in productive form overall since returning from a fractured jaw Aug. 21, producing a .273 average, .809 OPS and significantly improved 19.5 percent strikeout rate over the 10 games he's played since.

Vaughn went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run, three RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's 10-5 victory over Baltimore.

Vaughn took Kyle Gibson deep in his first at-bat, driving home Eloy Jimenez to bring the White Sox back within two runs of Baltimore. But the 25-year-old first baseman wasn't done there, driving home Jimenez yet again on a double in the very next inning to put Chicago on top 6-4. The home run was Vaughn's fourth this month and he's now recorded multiple hits in five of his last nine starts. On the downside, he's also drawn just two walks in August while striking out 23 times.

Encarnacion-Strand went 4-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBI in Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Giants.

The rookie provided the Cincinnati bullpen with some breathing room when he launched a two-run shot off Tyler Rogers in the eighth inning. Encarnacion-Strand hadn't had a multi-hit performance since Aug. 19 and hadn't homered since Aug. 18, but the more important streak he snapped dated back to Aug. 4 -- the last time he avoided striking out. He closes the books on the month having posted a .255/.324/.418 slash line with four homers, nine runs and 12 RBI in 27 games, but his 34.3 percent strikeout rate and 5.6 percent walk rate during that time highlight the biggest obstacle between his loud tools and consistent production.

Freeman went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double and an additional run scored in Wednesday's 7-0 win over the Diamondbacks.

Freeman's blast was his 25th of the season, making this the third time in six seasons he's reached that mark. Even by his lofty standards, the first baseman has had a good August, batting .375 with four homers, 16 doubles, 16 RBI, 22 runs scored and four stolen bases over 28 games. The impressive month has lifted his season slash line to .338/.413/.586 through 132 contests.