MLB Player News

Grandal (back) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and is in the starting lineup Friday versus the Guardians, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.

After missing over a month with lower-back spasms, Grandal is starting behind the plate and batting fifth against Cleveland. The 33-year-old has produced a career-worst .185 batting average overt 173 at-bats this season, but he went 9-for-25 (.360) with two long balls, five RBI, five runs and 13 walks over a nine-game rehab assignment with Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte.

Rortvedt (knee) had his rehab assignment transferred to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday.

Rortvedt has been out since May 8 after suffering a left knee injury while rehabbing and has yet to make his season debut for the Yankees following the team acquiring him from the Twins via trade in March. He appears to be nearing a return though, joining Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after he went 1-for-12 with three runs and three walks over four contests with High-A Hudson Valley.

Murphy went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader split with the Tigers.

After starting at catcher and drawing two walks in the matinee, Murphy shifted to DH for the second game of the twin bill. He produced the biggest hit of the contest, slugging a 447-foot, three-run homer to center field in the sixth inning that provided all of the runs Oakland needed to pull out the win. Murphy has struggled for much of the season but has turned things around in July, batting .333 with two homers, nine runs and nine RBI over 60 at-bats.

Haase isn't starting the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Athletics.

Haase drew the start during Thursday's matinee and went 0-for-3 with a run and two walks. Tucker Barnhart is starting behind the dish and batting eighth during the nightcap.

Trevino isn't starting the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Astros.

Trevino started the first game of the twin bill but went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. Kyle Higashioka is taking over behind the plate and batting ninth.

Maldonado isn't starting the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Yankees, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Maldonado started the final two games ahead of the All-Star break and went 1-for-6 with a grand slam. Korey Lee is starting behind the plate and batting ninth during Thursday's matinee.

Grandal (back) went 0-for-2 with three walks Sunday in his rehab game with Triple-A Charlotte.

Grandal drew starts at either first base or catcher over his last three games with Charlotte and looks like he'll be ready to return from the 10-day injured list to step back in as the White Sox's No. 1 catcher when the big club opens its second-half schedule Friday against the Guardians. The 33-year-old, who has been on the shelf since June 13 with lower-back spasms, began his rehab assignment July 7. Between stops with Charlotte and Double-A Birmingham, Grandal appeared in nine games and went 9-for-25 with two home runs and an impressive 13:4 BB:K.

Kirk went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday's win over the Royals.

Just ahead of his first career appearance in the All-Star Game, Kirk played hero for the Blue Jays, taking Wyatt Mills deep in the eighth inning to break a 2-2 tie. The homer was his 11th of the season, snapping a 19-game drought, but Kirk has hardly been quiet in July -- he's hit safely in six straight games and sports a .298/.333/.386 slash line through 16 contests on the month.

Mejia went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Sunday against the Orioles.

Mejia took Keegan Akin yard in the sixth inning to record his sixth homer of the season. He closed pre-All-Star break action in strong form, hitting .381 with four RBI and four runs scored across his last six starts. Even since the Rays acquired Christian Bethancourt, Mejia has alternated starts behind the dish.

The Royals reinstated Gallagher (personal) from the restricted list Monday.

Gallagher was one of 10 Royals players who will rejoin the 26-man active roster after being ineligible to play during the four-game weekend series in Toronto due his vaccination status. He closed the Royals' first-half schedule with a .243/.300/.378 slash line to go with five RBI and one run across 42 plate appearances. Gallagher should settle back in as a lightly used No. 2 catcher behind MJ Melendez (personal), who was also reinstated from the restricted list Monday.