MLB Player News

Crawford (oblique) was activated from the injured list as expected Thursday and will bat sixth and play shortstop against the Dodgers.

Crawford didn't wind up needing more than a minimum-length stay on the injured list while he dealt with a mild oblique strain. Prior to suffering the injury, he was in the midst of a career year. He'd never even crossed the .800 OPS mark in his first 10 big-league seasons but owns a .909 OPS thus far this season.

Turner officially landed on the COVID-19 injured list Thursday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

The move is an expected one, as Turner left Tuesday's game against the Phillies after being informed of a positive test for the virus. Given that he's a known positive and isn't merely absent due to contact tracing, he'll need more than just a day or two before he's cleared to return.

Baez (heel) is starting Thursday's game against the Reds.

Baez was held out of the lineup in each of the last three games due to a bruised left heel, but he'll play shortstop and bat fourth Thursday. Since the All-Star break, the 28-year-old has hit .293 with a home run, two doubles, nine RBI, six runs and three stolen bases.

Strange-Gordon has one hit in his last 20 at-bats for Triple-A Indianapolis.

The second baseman is among several candidates who might see time at second base in Pittsburgh before season's end. He's likely behind Rodolfo Castro, Wilmer Difo, Tucupita Marcano and Erik Gonzalez (side) in the pecking order, but Strange-Gordon's stolen base ability will put him on the fringe of the fantasy radar if he receives that chance. The 33-year-old is hitting .252 with five homers and six steals split between three Triple-A teams in 2021.

Story went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer and a walk in Wednesday's 8-7 loss to the Angels.

Story's only hit of the night came early as he launched a two-run homer in the first inning for a quick 2-0 lead. The 28-year-old has seen a dip in his hitting and overall power this season, as he's slashing .240/.313/.429 with 13 homers, 48 RBI, 48 runs scored, 17 steals and 32:90 BB:K over 371 plate appearances. He's struggled in 11 games since the All-Star break with a .586 OPS and 36.7 percent strikeout rate.

Seager's (hand) recovery has progressed well, and he is hoping to be activated from the injured list during the team's weekend series against Arizona, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Seager has been sidelined since mid-May due to the fracture in his right hand. He is currently playing in simulated games at the team's spring training facility in Arizona and has not experienced any soreness for several days. It was previously reported that Seager would need a rehab assignment in addition to the simulated game action, though it appears that plan may have now changed.

Crawford (oblique) believes he'll be activated from the 10-day injured list Thursday, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

The veteran shortstop resumed baseball activities over the weekend, and he's apparently progressed significantly in his rehab work over the past few days. Crawford landed on the shelf July 19 with a strained oblique, and it appears he won't require a rehab assignment before being activated.

Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk revealed Wednesday that Cruz (forearm) is now asymptomatic, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Cruz recently rejoined Double-A Altoona to continue his recovery, and his forearm is now feeling normal. The right-hander will be evaluated in the coming days to determine his next steps.

Baez (heel) isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Reds.

Baez was a late scratch from Tuesday's lineup, and he didn't appear off the bench as he continues to deal with a bruised left heel. Nico Hoerner will start at shortstop while Matt Duffy starts at second base.

Mauricio went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo homers, a walk and three runs in High-A Brooklyn's win over Jersey Shore on Tuesday.

After a difficult June in which the 20-year-old shortstop hit just .202, he's in the midst of an excellent July that's seen him bat .293 with five homers, two steals, 14 RBI and 11 runs across 19 games. Mauricio's season line -- .247/.289/.459 with 13 homers and six steals -- still leaves something to be desired, but he's made positive strides nonetheless, showing increased power and more than holding his own despite being three years younger than the average player in the High-A East. He's still raw, as he simply doesn't have a ton of minor-league experience and his plate discipline remains a work in progress, so the Mets would do well to give him plenty of development time.