MLB Player News

The Astros are bracing for the possibility of Paredes requiring season-ending surgery to address a torn right hamstring, a procedure that would keep him out for around 6-to-7 months, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Houston hasn't provided official word on the extent of Paredes' right hamstring strain since he was placed on the injured list July 20, but the 26-year-old appears to have received unfavorable news after undergoing further testing. Citing a league source, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reported Wednesday that Paredes' injury has been deemed significant enough to keep him out for two months, though his recovery timeline would be extended to next spring if surgery is necessary. Before Paredes decides whether to go under the knife, he's expected to receive a second medical opinion later this week. In anticipation of Paredes missing extended time, the Astros acquired Ramon Urias from the Orioles on Wednesday to bolster the left side of the infield.

Montgomery went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Wednesday against the Phillies.

Montgomery popped his home run in the fourth inning, his fifth long ball in his last eight starts. He's also struck out one time or fewer in each of those games, good for a 15.6 percent strikeout rate. The ability to make consistent contact was a major question for Montgomery upon his promotion, but he's handled big-league pitching well in his limited sample.

The Guardians acquired Stephen (shoulder) from the Guardians on Thursday in exchange for right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow), Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.

Stephen, a 22-year-old righty who was drafted in the second round of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, has had an excellent season across three levels of the minors. He dominated Single-A and High-A hitters alike (1.75 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 97:17 K:BB in 87.2 innings) before earning a promotion to Double-A New Hampshire on July 20. He made one start for New Hampshire and landed on the 7-day injured list July 24 with a shoulder impingement that is considered mild, per SI.com. Stephen's 5.1 percent walk rate on the season illustrates his pinpoint control, and he has a full starter's repertoire, highlighted by a fastball with good carry that touches 96 miles per hour.

The Blue Jays acquired Bieber (elbow) from the Guardians on Thursday in exchange for right-hander Khal Stephen (shoulder), Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.

Bieber has been on the injured list all season as he works his way back from April 2024 Tommy John surgery, but he looks nearly ready to make his 2025 MLB debut after striking out seven over four innings of one-run ball in his most recent rehab start with Double-A Akron on Tuesday. He built up to 58 pitches in that start -- the third of his rehab assignment -- so he may require just one or two more outings in the minors before the Blue Jays are ready to break him into the big-league rotation. The 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner holds a $16 million player option for 2026, which he will surely decline if he pitches well down the stretch for Toronto.

Quero went 2-for-4 with a double and a three-run home run Wednesday against the Phillies.

Quero didn't homer across the first 55 games of his big-league career, but he now has three home runs across 14 contests. He's also recorded six doubles in that span while driving in eight and scoring 10 runs. Quero has also started to see more consistent playing time, starting eight of 12 games since the All-Star break.

Vargas went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run Wednesday against the Phillies.

Vargas played his part in a seven-run seventh inning for the White Sox, blasting his 13th home run of the season. He hasn't had a strong July, but he has performed well since the All-Star break by collecting at least one hit in eight of his 12 starts. In that span, Vargas has popped three homers, driven in nine and scored 12 runs.

Palacios (knee) was pulled off of his rehab assignment Wednesday after experiencing right hamstring tightness, MLB.com reports.

Palacios has appeared in only one game this season and has been sidelined since April 17. He appeared to be nearing a return but will now be pulled off his rehab assignment for the second time. The Rays do not have a timeline for Palacios' return, but he is set to undergo further evaluation.

Teel went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Wednesday's 9-3 win over the Phillies.

Starting at DH on Wednesday, Teel opened the scoring with a leadoff blast off Taijuan Walker in the second inning, his second homer this year. The 23-year-old Teel has been swinging the bat well, going 10-for-25 with a 1.080 OPS over his last seven games. Overall, he's slashing .277/.378/.394 with nine RBI, 17 runs scored and a steal across his first 112 big-league plate appearances.

Lowe went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a walk Wednesday against the Yankees.

Lowe returned from the injured list after a minimum stint and hit second in the order. He doubled in a run in his second at-bat and followed that up with a single in the fifth inning. Lowe has hit .315 with eight home runs, 20 RBI and 25 runs scored across 34 games since the start of June, and he should play nearly every day across the last two months of the season if he can stay healthy.

Lowe went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk Wednesday against the Yankees.

Lowe has struggled for most of the season but has shown some modest signs of turning things around of late. He has at least one hit in six of his last seven games, going 8-for-25 with a home run, five RBI, two runs scored and one stolen base. Lowe still has only seven home runs with a .152 ISO across 255 plate appearances on the campaign.