MLB Player News

De La Cruz went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, an RBI and a run scored in a 6-5 extra-inning win in the second game of Monday's doubleheader against St. Louis. He went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in the matinee.

De La Cruz completed the Reds comeback in the nightcap with a walk-off, run-producing double in the bottom of the 10th inning. It was the first walk-off of the two-time All-Star's career. De La Cruz entered the second game on a 0-for-14 run before singling in the first inning.

Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said that Johnson will undergo left knee surgery Thursday, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

According to Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com, Johnson will require an ACL reconstruction plus an LCL procedure on the knee, which he injured during an Aug. 8 game with Triple-A Indianapolis. Tomczyk said that a timeline for Johnson's return will be established once surgery is completed, but given that the operation will address damage to multiple ligaments, the 22-year-old will likely remain out well into the 2027 season. Johnson hit .198/.332/.319 with eight home runs and 24 stolen bases over 95 games with Indianapolis before the knee injury ended his season.

The Cubs placed Swanson (oblique) on the 10-day injured list Monday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Swanson is facing a 4-to-6 week recovery timeline due to a Grade 2 left oblique strain that he suffered during the Cubs' 11-4 loss to the Cardinals. Per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com, the Cubs are hoping that Swanson's timeline is closer to four weeks, which would put him on track to return by mid-September with a couple of weeks left before the playoff begins, if the Cubs qualify. The Cubs selected Owen Miller's contract from Triple-A Iowa to provide infield depth, but Nico Hoerner figures to be Chicago's everyday shortstop for as long as Swanson is on the shelf.

Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Monday that Griffin has been cleared to transition out of the splint he had been wearing on his injured left ring finger, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Ditching the splint represents an important milestone in Griffin's recovery from a torn tendon in the finger, as he'll now be able to increase the intensity and volume of his baseball activities. Once the Pirates' homestand concludes Wednesday, Griffin is scheduled to report to the team's spring training facility in Florida to begin a hitting progression and playing catch. He'll likely remain in Florida for the duration of his rehab program before he's cleared to report to a minor-league affiliate to start playing in games. If all goes well, Tomczyk relayed that the Pirates are "optimistic" that Griffin will be ready to return to the big-league roster when he's first eligible to come off the 60-day injured list Sept. 4.

Swanson was diagnosed Monday with a Grade 2 left oblique strain, which typically carries a recovery timeline of 4-to-6 weeks, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

The Cubs are expected to officially place Swanson on the 10-day injured list prior to Monday's game against the White Sox after he was forced out of Sunday's 11-4 loss to the Cardinals with the injury. Assuming the projected recovery timeline holds, Swanson won't be available until around mid-September in a best-case scenario, though the Cubs are hopeful that he'll be back to full health in advance of the playoffs. While Swanson is out, Nico Hoerner is expected to settle in as the Cubs' everyday shortstop, and Pedro Ramirez could operate as the primary option at second base until Matt Shaw (hand) is ready to come off the IL.

Turner (knee) will start at shortstop and bat second in Monday's game versus the Marlins.

Turner did not play in Sunday's contest against the Twins after fouling a ball of his lower right leg Saturday. It will be only a one-game absence for the shortstop, as he's feeling well enough to give in a go Monday as the Phillies open up a homestand.

King isn't expected to receive a promotion to the majors before the end of the season, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports.

The Nationals' decision to shift CJ Abrams off shortstop created some speculation that the organization could be making room for King, who's produced a .301/.376/.505 slash line in 47 games since a promotion to Triple-A Rochester. The Nats believe the 23-year-old still has things to learn and improve on in the minors, however. King also isn't likely to be the team's shortstop of the future, with Eli Willits rising quickly behind him in the system, and having him adapt to a new position as well will be easier in the minors than the majors.

The Brewers promoted Pena from High-A Wisconsin to Double-A Biloxi on Monday.

Pena missed just over a month of action earlier this season after he collapsed during an April 22 game when he became overheated in the Wisconsin dugout, but fortunately, his development wasn't dramatically sidetracked by the scary incident. The 19-year-old shortstop finished his time in the Midwest League with a .298/.384/.420 slash line to go with two home runs and 27 stolen bases across 219 plate appearances.

Pratt (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with High-A Wisconsin.

It must have been a mild hamstring strain, as he is well ahead of schedule in his recovery. Pratt is eligible to return from the injured list Wednesday at home against the Mariners, and with the Brewers' High-A affiliate located just a couple hours away from Milwaukee, Pratt could be in the lineup for Wednesday's big-league game if all goes well Tuesday.

Swanson (oblique) is set be placed on the injured list, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Swanson was removed from Sunday's 11-4 loss to St. Louis in the bottom of the third inning after torquing the left side of his body on a first-pitch swing in his only at-bat of the day. The severity of the oblique injury is currently unknown, and Swanson will undergo an MRI on Monday. The 32-year-old is likely looking at a lengthy absence, and in his absence, Nico Hoerner is expected to slide over to shortstop.