The Giants designated Villar for assignment Monday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The move frees a spot on the active roster for the return of Casey Schmitt (oblique) from the 10-day injured list. Villar has been outrighted off the 40-man roster previously, so if he clears waivers again, he would have the ability to elect free agency.

The Giants activated Schmitt (oblique) from the 10-day injured list Monday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Schmitt will start at first base and bat sixth Monday against the Royals. He missed the past month with a Grade 2 left oblique strain. Schmitt is capable of playing all four infield spots and will likely serve as a short-side platoon player for the Giants now that he's healthy again.

The White Sox released Drury (wrist) on Thursday.

While attending spring training with Chicago as a non-roster invitee, Drury was building a strong case for an Opening Day role with the big club before fracturing his left thumb late in camp. After getting released, Drury re-signed with the White Sox on a minor-league deal April 8, then was cleared to return to game action with Triple-A Charlotte a week later. He struggled to a .179/.319/.282 slash line at Triple-A before being placed on Charlotte's 7-day injured list May 8 after getting hit on the wrist by a pitch just over two weeks earlier. The White Sox haven't shed light on the severity of the injury, but Drury's release perhaps suggests that his return to the Triple-A lineup wasn't imminent.

Triolo will start at second base and bat ninth in Monday's game against the Reds.

Though he'll be included in the lineup Monday with southpaw Nick Lodolo taking the hill for Cincinnati, the right-handed-hitting Triolo no longer looks to be in the mix for regular playing time versus righties. He was on the bench for both of the Pirates' previous two matchups with right-handers, with the recent return of Isiah Kiner-Falefa having closed off Triolo's path to an everyday role in the Pittsburgh infield.

Horwitz is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Reds.

The left-handed-hitting Horwitz could end up settling into a full-time role with the Pirates eventually, but he'll take a seat for the series opener versus the Reds while lefty Nick Lodolo takes the hill for Cincinnati. After being reinstated from the injured list Saturday after he had been on the shelf all season while recovering from a procedure to alleviate pain in his right wrist, Horwitz started at first base in the final two games of the Pirates' weekend series with the Phillies, going 1-for-6.

Mervis is absent from the lineup for Monday's game against the Cubs.

Mervis has seen his playing time slip lately, as this is the fourth time over the Marlins' last 10 contests versus right-handed pitching that he's been out of the lineup. The 27-year-old is just 3-for-30 with a 44.1 percent strikeout rate across his last 12 games. Liam Hicks is in the designated hitter spot and batting seventh in Monday's series opener.

Aranda is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Astros.

After starting in each of the Rays' last eight games, the left-handed-hitting Aranda will take a seat while Tampa Bay faces a lefty starter (Colton Gordon) for the first time since May 9. Curtis Mead will step in at first base in place of Aranda, who owns an excellent .312/.396/.507 slash line on the season but has been far more effective against right-handed pitching (178 wRC+) than lefties (102 wRC+).

Mead will start at first base and bat seventh in Wednesday's game against the Astros.

Mead will crack the starting nine for the first time since May 9, after he had been on the bench for each of the past eight contests while the Rays opposed right-handed starters. The 24-year-old is batting just .169 on the season and looks like he'll remain in a short-side platoon role for the foreseeable future.

Long left Saturday's game for Triple-A Iowa due to a tight leg muscle, Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register reports.

Long is slashing .367/.429/.533 with four home runs, two steals, a 9.5 percent walk rate and a 24.9 percent strikeout rate in his first 40 games at Triple-A. His 33.9 percent hard-hit rate is strong, but Long's .486 BABIP illustrates his good fortune in the early going. He hasn't been placed on Iowa's injured list and should be considered day-to-day for now.

Atlanta released Cooper on Sunday.

Cooper inked a minor-league contract over the offseason but has been cut loose after slashing just .228/.312/.309 in 35 games with Triple-A Gwinnett. The 34-year-old will now be on the lookout for another minor-league deal elsewhere.