Encarnacion-Strand (back/hamstring) will start at first base and bat seventh in Tuesday's game versus the Mariners.

Encarnacion-Strand missed the last two contests due to back and hamstring soreness, but he's feeling well enough to give it a go in Tuesday's series opener. The 25-year-old is scuffling in the early going this season with just a .498 OPS over his first 13 games.

The Pirates placed Rodriguez on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a right index finger laceration, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Rodriguez took a deflected pitch off the finger during Monday's game against the Nationals and needed stiches to close the wound. He will need time for the cut to heal and it's not clear if Rodriguez will be ready to return when first eligible. Joey Bart (back) is also banged up, but the Pirates are not replacing Rodriguez on the roster with another catcher, suggesting Bart is close to returning to action.

Valdez went 2-for-2 with two walks, a double, three RBI and a run scored Monday against the Nationals.

Valdez has bounced around the order, briefly serving as the Pirates' leadoff hitter before getting a shot at cleanup for the first time Monday. He delivered a two-run single in the fifth frame, his second extra-base hit in his last three games. Valdez has been a regular against right-handed pitching while playing first and second base, and his playing time could become more secure with Endy Rodriguez (finger) expected to hit the injured list.

Triple-A Durham activated Morgan (quadricep) from its 7-day injured list Tuesday.

Morgan will make his Triple-A debut Tuesday after he slashed .324/.408/.483 with 10 home runs and 20 stolen bases across three levels in 2024. The 22-year-old could push to make his big-league debut in 2025, although 2026 is more likely.

Aranda went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored Monday against the Red Sox.

Aranda started his eighth straight game with a right-handed pitcher on the mound and helped the Rays to a 16-run outburst. The majority of his damage came in the third inning, when he led off with a single and then later doubled in a pair in the same frame. Aranda has multiple hits in four of his last seven starts and has nine RBI with seven runs scored in that span.

Arraez went 3-for-5 with a solo home run, a double and two total runs against the Cubs in a 10-4 win Monday.

Arraez hit the second of back-to-back homers with Fernando Tatis in the eighth inning as the Padres pulled away for their 11th straight home victory. The veteran infielder has all but wiped out memories of his slow start to the season -- after going 0-for-13 over his first four games, Arraez has since boosted his average up to .282. That mark is likely to come up even further given that Arraez has never batted less than .294 over a full season, and with two homers so far, he's already halfway to the four long balls he hit across 150 regular-season games last year.

Hoskins went 1-for-3 with a run scored Monday against Detroit.

Despite the decent performance Monday, Hoskins' homer drought extended to 15 games to open the season. Although the slugging first baseman has drawn eight walks, Hoskins is hitting a disappointing .182 (8-for-44) with one double, four RBI and two runs scored so far, which is making him difficult to hold in shallow mixed fantasy leagues.

Rodriguez (finger) needed stitches after exiting Monday's game against the Nationals and will likely be placed on the 10-day injured list, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.

Rodriguez took a deflected pitch off a finger on his throwing hand during the first inning Monday, resulting in his departure. The Pirates announced after the matchup that Rodriguez required stitches, which will presumably necessitate a trip to the injured list. Joey Bart (back) is also nursing an injury, so this could open up opportunities for Henry Davis behind the dish.

Rodriguez departed Monday's game against Washington due to a right finger laceration, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Rodriguez was forced to exit the matchup in the first inning after James Wood was struck by a pitch and the ball deflected into Rodriguez. The 24-year-old can be considered day-to-day until more information comes to light.

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

The Astros are sending southpaw Framber Valdez to the mound in the series opener, so the lefty-hitting Burleson will unsurprisingly head to the bench. Platoon mate Luken Baker will draw the start at designated hitter and will bat second for St. Louis.