MLB Player News

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Friday that the team plans to activate Swanson (oblique) from the 10-day injured list prior to its Sept. 18-20 series in Cincinnati, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.

He will have to get through a brief rehab assignment at Triple-A Iowa first, but as long as Swanson doesn't encounter any setbacks he will be available for the Cubs' final nine games of the regular season. Swanson has been sidelined since mid-August with a Grade 2 left oblique strain.

Bericoto (knee) went 1-for-4 with a run scored in Triple-A Sacramento's 6-2 loss to Las Vegas on Thursday.

After being placed on the 10-day injured list Aug. 24 with a bone bruise in his right knee, Bericoto returned to game action Wednesday, going 0-for-4. He reached base safely Thursday, hitting a leadoff single in the sixth inning before coming around to score. The 24-year-old had slashed .244/.253/.419 with 12 RBI, seven runs scored, four long balls and a stolen base across 87 big-league plate appearances before landing on the IL.

Lowe is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Cubs.

The left-handed hitter will begin the festivities on the bench as the Cubs send southpaw Shota Imanaga to the bump. Nick Gonzales will handle second base in place of Lowe and bat sixth for the Pirates.

Dotel is slated to start Friday's game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, Dominic Campbell of SI.com reports.

Stepping into the rotation spot vacated by the injured Braxton Ashcraft (arm), Dotel will be taking the hill on two days' rest and hasn't covered more three innings in any appearance in the majors or minors since the All-Star break. Khristian Curtis and Antwone Kelly are both well-rested arms capable of covering multiple frames out of the bullpen once Dotel's day is done.

The Pirates optioned Simon to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday.

Simon had just been recalled Sunday and received only one plate appearance this week. He's clearing off the roster to make room for the return of Ryan O'Hearn (quadriceps) from the injured list.

The Pirates activated O'Hearn (quadriceps) from the 10-day injured list Friday.

Sidelined since late July with a left quadriceps strain, O'Hearn has been cleared to return after going 1-for-7 with one double and a 1:2 BB:K in two rehab games with Triple-A Indianapolis. The 33-year-old has authored a .270/.334/.454 slash line with 17 home runs over 96 contests this season. Manager Don Kelly said Friday that O'Hearn will likely be limited to first base and designated hitter down the stretch so as not to risk aggravating his quad issue in the outfield, per Aiden Stepansky of MLB.com. O'Hearn is not in the lineup Friday against Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga.

Atlanta recalled Keirsey from Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday.

He's taking the roster spot vacated by the injured Lane Thomas (intercostal). Keirsey has slashed .247/.303/.346 with six home runs and 40 stolen bases this season with Gwinnett. The 29-year-old is unlikely to play much in a reserve outfielder role.

Atlanta placed Thomas on the 10-day injured list Friday with a left intercostal strain.

Thomas suffered the injury prior to Thursday's game against the Rays. The injury is expected to sideline Thomas for one month, but he will visit a doctor Sunday to see if there's anything he can do to speed up his recovery, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Sullivan (shoulder) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday, striking out four while yielding one run in 1.2 innings.

It's the first outing for Sullivan since he went down with a shoulder impingement in early July. The left-hander likely doesn't have enough time to get stretched back out to make any traditional starts down the stretch, but he could help the Rockies in a relief role.

Cruz went 3-for-4 with a home run and an additional RBI in Thursday's 2-0 win over the White Sox.

Cruz knocked in both runs that were scored in the contest, drilling a solo homer to center field in the fourth inning and adding an RBI single in the eighth. He was also the only player to record multiple hits in the low-scoring affair. Cruz's long ball was his first since Aug. 25, though he did bat a healthy .326 during the 12 games between homers. Due to a hand fracture that sidelined him for two months this summer, he's played in just 84 contests this year but has put up big numbers, posting a career-best .848 OPS with 18 home runs, 56 runs, 62 RBI and 27 stolen bases.