MLB Player News

Votto (shoulder/biceps) was activated from the 60-day injured list Monday and will start at first base and bat sixth in the Reds' series opener versus the Rockies, Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Votto had some starts and stops as he worked his way back from left shoulder and biceps surgery, but he said Monday that he feels "much more like myself." The 39-year-old slashed .162/.385/.351 with two home runs and an 11:13 K:BB over 12 games during his most recent rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville. Since he's returning from a long-term absence, Votto will likely receive plenty of days off in the early going as the Reds ease him back into the mix while also juggle a batting order which is suddenly teeming with appealing options. Fantasy managers in shallower leagues should take a wait-and-see approach before adding Votto off the waiver wire.

Hall (thumb) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Monday.

Hall will return to the 40-man roster for the first time since he suffered a torn ligament in his right thumb in early April. The 27-year-old went 13-for-51 with six extra-base hits, including two homers, and 10 RBI over 13 games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley during his rehab assignment and he'll look to remain hot moving forward. Over 42 games with the Phillies in 2022, Hall produced a .250 average with nine homers, 16 RBI and 19 runs scored. With Bryce Harper holding down the designated hitter role in 2023, if Hall were to get called up, he'd likely operate in a platoon with Kody Clemens at first base. In a corresponding move, Dalton Guthrie was designated for assignment Monday.

Gurriel went 2-for-5 with his fourth stolen base of the season in Sunday's win over the Nationals.

The 39-year-old has alternated starts at first base with Garrett Cooper over the last week, although the latter also rotates in at DH when he isn't playing defense. Gurriel isn't exactly earning the extra opportunities, however, slashing just .222/.239/.333 through 12 games in June with zero homers and only two RBI. His value to the Marlins primarily comes from helping to keep Cooper rested and healthy, but that doesn't translate into fantasy utility.

Alonso went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals.

Making an early return from a bone bruise in his wrist he'd suffered July 7 after getting hit by a pitch, Alonso was back at first base and hitting cleanup but didn't appear to be quite 100 percent, as he also committed a fielding error in the seventh inning. Per Tim Britton of The Athletic, Alonso's early return -- the original timeline called for him to miss 3-4 weeks -- was mainly due to his ability to tolerate the pain, and the 28-year-old did claim he'd been able to swing a bat without discomfort for a couple days prior to his activation. Given his massive upside, most fantasy GMs won't have the luxury of keeping Alonso on their bench until he proves he's fully recovered, but he may need a little time to regain his power stroke.

Torkelson went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Sunday's 6-4 win over the Twins.

Torkelson played in all four games of the weekend series against Minnesota, finishing 4-for-17 (.235) with his eighth home run of the year and four RBI. The youngster is also now batting .235 for the season, so this past weekend was a good representation of his production all year. Fantasy managers are still waiting for the 2020 No. 1 overall pick to have a true breakout in his second MLB campaign.

Walker went 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and three RBI in Sunday's 12-3 loss to the Guardians.

Walker got Arizona on the board with a solo shot in the second inning and added a two-run double in the fifth, but the deficit was far too much to come back from at that point. This was his third straight multi-hit effort and his second game in a row with a homer. The first baseman is up to 15 long balls, 48 RBI, 40 runs scored, 19 doubles and a stolen base while slashing a steady .270/.334/.520 through 68 games.

Naylor went 4-for-5 with a double, a stolen base, three RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 12-3 win over the Diamondbacks.

Naylor knocked in a run with three of his four hits, providing steady run production from the heart of the lineup. The 25-year-old has been one of the best Cleveland hitters in June, batting .387 (24-for-62) with 13 RBI and nine runs scored over 16 games this month. The surge has him up to a .288/.331/.450 slash line with 53 RBI, 25 runs scored, eight home runs and five steals through 63 contests. His career high in steals is six, a mark he shouldn't have much trouble besting this season.

Clemens is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the A's.

Clemens has a .533 OPS through 13 games in June and will head to the bench Sunday with lefty Hogan Harris on the mound for Oakland. Alec Bohm will man first base while Edmundo Sosa starts at the hot corner.

Bell is not in the starting lineup versus the Diamondbacks on Sunday.

Bell will get a breather in the midst of an 0-for-10 skid over his last three games that has seen his average drop to .231 over 225 at-bats. Jose Ramirez is the designated hitter for the Guardians on Sunday, while Tyler Freeman lines up at the hot corner and hits sixth.

Smith is starting at first base and batting seventh Sunday against the Marlins, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

The 28-year-old was originally absent from Sunday's starting nine, but he was inserted into the lineup after Jeimer Candelario (thumb) was scratched. Smith has gone 8-for-24 with a double, a triple, a home run and three RBI in his past six games.