MLB Player News

Cronenworth (concussion), who was expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Thursday with Triple-A El Paso, did not get cleared in time to play, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Cronenworth had been slated to see his first game action since May 4, but the approval process necessary for him to play did not get finalized in time for El Paso's game. Per Sanders, the utility man didn't suffer a setback, and the hope is that he'll be able to suit up Friday. For that to happen, he'll have to get full medical clearance, as required by MLB's protocols for concussions.

The Marlins will option Norby to Triple-A Jacksonville prior to Friday's game versus the Cardinals, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Norby has had a dismal June with a .194/.306/.290 slash line across 36 plate appearances. The utility fielder had been seeing a decrease in playing time, and now he will try to reset in Triple-A. A corresponding move is yet to be revealed.

Cronenworth (concussion) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso on Thursday.

Cronenworth has been on the concussion injured list since mid-April when he was struck in the chin by a pitch. With his symptoms finally abated, he's been cleared to test things out in a game setting. The length of Cronenworth's rehab assignment could depend on how he looks and feels, but since he's missed so much time, he'll likely need several games to knock off the rust.

The Pirates placed Horwitz on the 10-day injured list Thursday due to a left hamstring strain.

Horwitz suffered the injury during Wednesday's win over the Mariners. The Pirates haven't provided word on the severity of the strain, making it difficult to forecast a timeline for Horwitz's return. Horwitz will be eligible for activation in early July, but with the All-Star break looming, the Pirates could proceed cautiously with the first baseman and keep him on the shelf until the start of the second half, even if his strain is mild.

The Pirates are expected to place Horwitz (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Horwitz was lifted from Wednesday's game against the Mariners because of left hamstring discomfort. It's unclear at this point how severe the strain is, but even a mild one could knock Horwitz out through the All-Star break. While Horwitz is sidelined, the Pirates will likely use Ryan O'Hearn at first base and Marcell Ozuna at designated hitter most days.

Garcia went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and two walks in Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Phillies.

Garcia opened the scoring in the first inning with a 412-foot shot off Aaron Nola, his 13th homer of the year and third in his last three games. In his last 15 games, Garcia's gone 14-for-48 (.292) with six homers and a 1.042 OPS. Overall, he's slashing .263/.293/.494 through 259 plate appearances this season with 49 RBI, 34 runs scored and a pair of stolen bases.

Devers went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 2-1 win over the Athletics.

Devers tied the game at 1-1 with a ninth-inning blast off Elvis Alvarado. This was Devers' third homer in his last seven games, all of which have been solo shots. The infielder is now batting .239 with a .739 OPS, 12 homers, 38 RBI, 36 runs scored, 23 doubles and a triple over 79 contests this season, and he's yet to attempt a stolen base.

France went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double, a second RBI and two total runs scored in Wednesday's 5-2 win over Atlanta.

France has three homers and eight RBI over his last eight games despite going a modest 7-for-28 (.250) in that span. The veteran infielder has seen most of the playing time at first base lately while Gavin Sheets primarily competes with Samad Taylor for starts in left field. France is batting .252 on the year and has added a .782 OPS, nine homers, 26 RBI, 19 runs scored, seven doubles, two triples and a stolen base over 175 plate appearances.

Goldschmidt went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Tigers.

Goldschmidt continues to victimize Tigers southpaw Tarik Skubal, taking the left-hander deep twice Wednesday. The veteran first baseman has now gone 7-for-13 (.538) with four homers in his career versus Skubal, adding to his impressive resume against the reigning two-time Cy Young Award winner. Goldschmidt is turning back the clock in 2026, slashing .297/.355/.568 with 14 homers, eight doubles, 39 RBI and 30 runs over 211 trips to the plate.

Groover went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, two walks and a second run scored in Wednesday's 9-4 win over the Cardinals.

Groover went deep in the fourth inning for his first big-league homer. This is also his first multi-RBI performance in 13 contests in the majors. The infielder has hit .186 with a .588 OPS, four RBI, four runs scored, two doubles and a 5:8 BB:K since his June 5 debut. He is currently occupying a part-time role, though he should continue to play regularly versus left-handed pitchers while in the majors.