MLB Player News

The Astros activated Sousa (elbow) from the 60-day injured list Monday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Sousa has been sidelined since early May while dealing with left elbow inflammation, but he's been cleared to return after yielding just one unearned run in five rehab outings. The southpaw was a revelation out of the Houston bullpen in 2025, turning in a 2.84 ERA and 59:15 K:BB over 50.2 innings.

The Astros activated Blanco (elbow) from the 60-day injured list Monday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Blanco will start Monday's game versus the Marlins, marking his first time on a big-league mound since he underwent Tommy John surgery with an internal brace last June. The 32-year-old right-hander went 4.1 innings and threw 68 pitches in his final rehab outing, so he will be relatively limited from a workload perspective as he takes on Miami.

Pena (hamstring) will start at shortstop and bat leadoff in Monday's game against the Marlins, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Pena will make his return to the starting nine after the Astros opted to keep him on the bench for Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Orioles while he managed a right hamstring cramp. Since coming off the injured list July 10 after he had been shelved with a calf strain, Pena has gone 5-for-17 (.294 average) with two walks, three runs and one RBI in five games.

The Astros optioned Delgado to Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Delgado was recalled and started at second base in Sunday's loss to the Orioles, but he finds himself back in the minors a day later. He'll be used as a utility infielder at Sugar Land.

Higashioka is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the White Sox.

Higashioka will get some rest after starting at catcher each of the last two days. Elias Diaz will be behind the dish for the Rangers in Monday's series opener.

The Orioles placed Rutschman on the 10-day injured list Monday due to left wrist inflammation.

Rutschman will head to the IL for the third time this season, after he was previously deactivated in April due to left ankle inflammation and in June due to a concussion. With Samuel Basallo (shoulder) also day-to-day, the Orioles called up Sam Huff from Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday and Chadwick Tromp from Norfolk on Monday to provide some insurance behind the plate. Rutschman will be eligible to return from the shelf July 29.

Monasterio is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Orioles.

Monasterio will be back on the bench after he made two straight starts against left-handed pitchers to close out the Red Sox's weekend series with the Rays, going 3-for-6 with three doubles, two walks, two runs and one RBI between those contests. Tsung-Che Cheng will cover shortstop Monday and still appears to have a hold on the strong side of platoon at the position.

Basallo (shoulder) is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Red Sox, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Southpaw Payton Tolle is on the mound for Boston, so the left-handed-hitting Basallo's absence from the lineup doesn't come as a major surprise, especially after the young backstop exited Sunday's 5-2 win over the Astros in the second inning due to right shoulder discomfort. Adley Rutschman (wrist) is also receiving a second straight game off, so the Orioles will go with third-string catcher Sam Huff behind the dish Monday.

Piasentin has not played for the Florida Gulf Coast League Blue Jays since June 8 due to knee soreness, Geoff Pontes of Baseball America reports.

Pontes reports that Piasentin, who has not been officially placed on the injured list, could be back soon. The 6-foot-3 third baseman is hitting .188 with a .349 OBP, one home run and a 26.7 percent strikeout rate in 21 games as a 19-year-old in complex ball.

Rutschman is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Red Sox due to a left wrist injury, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Rutschman was excluded from the lineup for Sunday's series finale versus the Astros in what initially appeared to be a routine maintenance day, but Orioles manager Craig Albernaz disclosed following the 5-2 win that the veteran backstop was dealing with wrist discomfort, per Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun. Samuel Basallo (shoulder) will also get the night off after exiting Sunday's game early, so the Orioles will hand Sam Huff a start behind the plate for the series opener in Boston. The Orioles appear to be viewing Rutschman as day-to-day.