MLB Player News

Elko (knee) has been cleared to begin a rehab assignment with High-A Winston-Salem, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.

Elko underwent surgery last October to repair a torn ACL in his right knee and is finally ready to test out his rebuilt knee in games. The 27-year-old should eventually be assigned to Triple-A Charlotte, where he will give the White Sox organizational depth at first base. Elko is no longer on Chicago's 40-man roster, having been non-tendered over the winter before re-signing on a minor-league contract.

Hoskins went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in a loss to the Twins on Monday.

Hoskins kicked off the scoring in the contest with a 416-foot solo blast in the second inning. That ended up being Cleveland's only run of the game. The long ball was Hoskins' first since June 19, and he entered Tuesday having batted .167 with 16 strikeouts over 13 games since that homer. Hoskins was provided a touch of power with eight home runs across 254 plate appearances on the season, but it's otherwise been a tough time for the veteran first baseman, as he's slashing a meager .180/.319/.359 with a 31.5 percent strikeout rate.

Rice went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run in Tuesday's 6-4 loss to the Rays.

Rice gave the Yankees an early lead with a three-run shot off Ian Seymour in the third inning. The first-time All-Star has been on fire, hitting safely in six of his past seven games while going deep four times during that stretch. For the year, he's slashing .273/.364/.577 with 60 RBI, 60 runs scored and two steals while already matching his home-run total from last season (26).

Rice went 1-for-4 with a solo home run during the Yankees' 5-1 win over the Rays on Monday.

The Yankees were limited to just three hits, but those came on two home runs from Jose Caballero and another deep ball from Rice, with the latter's blast coming in the eighth inning to give the Bronx Bombers an insurance run. Rice is up to 25 home runs and a .925 OPS, which rank fifth and eighth, respectively, in the majors this season.

Pasquantino (hand) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Pasquantino has been rehabbing at the Royals' spring training complex in Arizona and is now ready to test things out in games. The first baseman had surgery in mid-June to remove a fractured hamate bone in his right hand and is tracking toward a return to the active roster immediately following the All-Star break.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run and a walk in Sunday's 7-5 win over the Angels.

Contreras' lone hit was a big one, as he crushed a 446-foot, three-run homer to left field in the third inning to give the Red Sox a lead they wouldn't relinquish. The veteran has now matched his season total of 20 homers from last year with the Cardinals and is on pace to eclipse his career high of 24 long balls, set with the Cubs in 2019. Overall, the first baseman has been excellent at the plate in 2026, slashing .284/.378/.542 with 37 extra-base hits, 59 RBI, 45 runs and two stolen bases across 86 games.

Burger went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 6-3 loss to the Tigers.

Burger opened the scoring in the third inning by taking Casey Mize deep for his 15th home run of the season. The long ball was a bright spot in what has otherwise been a difficult stretch, as the slugger is batting just 2-for-24 over his last six games. On the year, Burger is slashing .246/.309/.432 with 14 doubles, 53 RBI, 39 runs scored and two stolen bases across 86 games.

Walker went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 2-0 win over the Rays.

Walker opened the scoring in the fourth inning by taking Mason Englert deep for a solo homer. The veteran first baseman has slowed down at the plate recently, batting just .200 (11-for-55) with a 6:17 BB:K over his last 10 games. On the year, Walker is slashing .238/.311/.470 with 20 home runs, 16 doubles, one triple, 57 RBI and 47 runs scored across 90 games.

Murakami (hamstring) will report to Triple-A Charlotte on Monday to begin a minor-league rehab assignment, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.

Murakami suffered a Grade 2 right hamstring strain in late May and landed on the 10-day injured list. The star rookie will likely need a couple of games in the minors to get his timing back at the plate, but he appears on track to rejoin the big-league squad before the All-Star break. Jacob Gonzalez has been hitting well over the past few weeks as Chicago's primary first baseman, but he'll likely lose out on playing time when Murakami is activated.

Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said Saturday that Casas (abdomen/knee) has been shut down from hitting due to a wrist issue, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.

Casas had already been on the mend from May 2025 surgery to repair a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee as well as a left intercostal strain, which he sustained in April. He had progressed enough in his rehab program to swing a bat, but his hitting program will be put on pause after a wrist issue flared up. It's not clear when or if Casas will return from the 60-day injured list this season, but he'll need to wait for the wrist issue to clear up before he starts hitting again and then heads out on an extended minor-league rehab assignment.