MLB Player News

General manager Ben Cherington said Sunday that Cruz (concussion) is expected to rejoin the Pirates in St. Louis and could be activated prior to Monday's series opener versus the Cardinals, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Cruz was cleared to begin a rehab assignment Saturday with Double-A Altoona and made starts in center field and at designated hitter to close out the weekend, going 1-for-6 with one triple, two walks, one stolen base, two RBI and two runs between those contests. Assuming the Pirates' medical staff is satisfied with his health once he links back up with the team, Cruz could be cleared to re-enter the big-league lineup Monday while the Cardinals send righty Michael McGreevy to the hill. The Pirates may still look to shield the left-handed-hitting Cruz against southpaws, however; the 26-year-old is slashing an abysmal .110/.219/.190 with a 36.8 percent strikeout rate in 114 plate appearances versus same-handed pitching this season.

Gusto is listed as the Marlins' probable starting pitcher for Wednesday's game against Atlanta in Miami.

Gusto got the call back to the big leagues Friday when a spot in the Miami rotation opened up, but the right-hander floundered in his start against the Blue Jays, covering six innings but allowing five earned runs on seven hits and one walk while failing to strike out a batter. Despite the poor showing, Gusto will receive another turn through the rotation, but he'll be a prime candidate to move to the bullpen or head back to Triple-A Jacksonville once Ryan Weathers (lat) is reinstated from the 60-day injured list at some point in September.

The Royals reinstated Massey (wrist/ankle/back) from the 10-day injured list Monday.

Massey will make his return to the Royals for the first time since early June, after he was initially deactivated due to a left ankle sprain before being pulled off two separate rehab assignments on account of a fractured right wrist and a tight back. He began a third rehab assignment Aug. 9 and emerged from his two-week stint in the minors unscathed while slashing .245/.310/.415 with a pair of home runs in 12 games for Triple-A Omaha. With Kansas City optioning John Rave to Triple-A in a corresponding move, the left-handed-hitting Massey could be in line for a regular spot in the lineup versus righties, though he may eventually move to the bench on a more frequent basis once the Royals reinstate Jac Caglianone (hamstring) from the IL.

The Royals optioned Rave to Triple-A Omaha on Monday.

Rave owns a middling .199/.286/.324 slash line over 156 plate appearances on the season and had been held out of the lineup in both of the Royals' last two matchups versus right-handed starting pitchers, so his demotion doesn't come as a major surprise. He'll cede his spot on the active roster to another left-handed hitter in Michael Massey (wrist), who was reinstated from the 10-day injured list.

Doval allowed two hits and struck out two batters in a scoreless ninth inning against the Red Sox on Sunday.

While the right-hander gave up a pair of hits -- a single and a double -- Sunday, he was able to escape without Boston putting any runs on the board. It wasn't the highest-leverage work (New York held a five-run lead when Doval entered), but it was nonetheless a relatively important situation with the Yankees needing to secure the win to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of their division rivals. As for Doval, he was sorely in need of a positive outing, as he came into the contest having been scored upon in four of his past five appearances. His adjustment to a new role with the Yankees hasn't gone smoothly -- through 10 contests with New York, he's posted a 6.48 ERA, 2.16 WHIP and 10:7 K:BB over 8.1 innings while blowing his only two save chances (though he does have three holds).

Bido is likely to enter the Athletics rotation for Tuesday's game against the Tigers in Sacramento, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

The Athletics are expected to deploy Bido as a starter or bulk reliever as he steps into the rotation as a replacement for Jack Perkins (shoulder), who was placed on the injured list Friday. Since being recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on July 10, Bido has worked exclusively out of the bullpen, but he should be reasonably stretched out after tossing three innings and 44 pitches in his most recent relief appearance in Thursday's 8-3 win over the Twins. Altogether, Bido owns a 5.37 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 49:25 K:BB in 65.1 innings across 19 appearances (nine starts) for the Athletics this season.

Adames went 2-for-3 with two walks and a stolen base in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Brewers.

Adames singled to center field in the sixth and subsequently stole second base. The shortstop added another single in the eighth, marking his second multi-hit performance in the Giants' three-game series in Milwaukee. Adames' recent success is an encouraging sign, as he has struggled to stay consistent throughout August, slashing .160/.269/.383 with 13 runs scored, eight RBI, six homers, three stolen bases and a 30.1 percent strikeout rate across 93 plate appearances in 21 games.

The Royals announced Aug. 15 that Marsh hasn't resumed throwing since receiving an injection for his sore right shoulder at the end of July, MLB.com reports.

Marsh has been on the shelf throughout 2025 after he first experienced shoulder tightness during his offseason throwing program and then experienced multiple setbacks over the ensuing months. The Royals are hopeful that the injection will help resolve the discomfort in his shoulder, but Marsh's hopes of contributing at any point this season appear to have been dashed. He could start throwing again in September, but the Royals' main focus seems to be ensuring that Marsh has a normal offseason and is ready to compete for a spot on the big-league pitching staff next spring.

Matos went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Brewers.

Matos launched a two-run homer to left-center field in the second inning, giving the Giants an early 2-0 lead. The 23-year-old outfielder added a single in the ninth before coming around to score the go-ahead run. He's been on fire since being recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Thursday, going 8-for-15 with five runs scored, two home runs, two doubles, two stolen bases and a triple over his last four appearances. Overall, Matos is slashing .209/.255/.450 with 18 runs scored, 16 RBI, seven homers and four stolen bases across 137 plate appearances this season.

Tong could be a candidate to receive a call-up from Triple-A Syracuse to start Friday against the Marlins if the Mets elect to expand their rotation to six men, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

Tong didn't get promoted to Triple-A until earlier this month, but in his first two starts at the level, he's fired 11.2 shutout innings while striking out 17 and allowing three walks. He leads all minor-league pitchers with 179 punchouts over 113.2 innings on the season and has done everything he can to prove he's ready for a look in the majors. With the Mets in a tight playoff race, the 22-year-old right-hander could provide the boost the team needs to get across the finish line. If the Mets opt not to call up Tong, the team could activate the rehabbing Tylor Megill (elbow) from the 60-day injured list to start Friday, which would buy an extra day of rest for David Peterson and Kodai Senga.