MLB Player News

The Giants are expected to recall Birdsong from Single-A San Jose in the near future, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

After he was returned to the minors upon serving as the Giants' 27th man for Saturday's doubleheader with the Rockies, Birdsong's next opportunity to return to the big leagues appeared to be in flux while Alex Cobb (hip/blister) was on the cusp of returning from the 60-day injured list. However, with Cobb being dealt to the Guardians on Tuesday, Birdsong now looks set to rejoin the Giants the next time the team needs a fifth starter. Birdsong, who has a 2.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 33 strikeouts in 25.2 innings over his last five MLB starts, could be recalled as soon as this weekend to make a start in Cincinnati.

Alvarez (shoulder) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Twins, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Alvarez is dealing with shoulder soreness in his non-throwing arm and will be held out of the lineup for a second consecutive game. Luis Torrens will catch and bat eighth Tuesday.

Fraley is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Cubs.

Fraley will avoid a matchup with left-hander Justin Steele on Tuesday, giving way to Stuart Fairchild in right field. Fraley is slashing .279/.327/.372 in 245 plate appearances this season.

The Diamondbacks received "relatively good news" on Walker's (oblique) MRI but are still expected to place him on the 10-day injured list, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

Walker tweaked his oblique in Monday's win over the Nationals. While it sounds like the strain isn't overly severe, it's bad enough that he'll be out, at minimum, for the next 10 days. Arizona acquired Josh Bell via trade with the Marlins earlier Tuesday and will install him as its first baseman while Walker recovers.

Santillan will serve as the Reds' opening pitcher in Tuesday's game versus the Cubs, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Frankie Montas had been on turn to start Tuesday, but he was traded to the Brewers on Monday. Santillan is projected to work an inning or two in what will be a bullpen game for the Reds.

The Diamondbacks acquired Bell from the Marlins on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations, Craig Mish of the Miami Herald reports.

The acquisition of Bell would seem to indicate that the Diamondbacks expect to be without everyday first baseman Christian Walker for a while after Walker suffered an oblique injury in Monday's 9-8 win over the Nationals. While Bell has posted a mediocre .699 OPS on the season, he's been sizzling at the plate of late with six home runs over his last 12 contests. The Marlins will cover approximately $3.25 million of the $5.5 million remaining on Bell's $16.5 million salary for 2024 as part of the trade, per Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic.

The Mets outrighted Fujinami to Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Fujinami is making $3.35 million in 2024, so it's not surprising that he passed through waivers unclaimed after being designated for assignment. He'll remain at Syracuse, where he holds an 10.95 ERA and 14:25 K:BB over 12.1 frames this season.

The Marlins acquired Stowers and infielder Connor Norby from the Orioles on Tuesday in exchange for left-hander Trevor Rogers, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Stowers' path to playing time was blocked in Baltimore but he should have a clear runway to an everyday role in Miami's corner outfielder. He had been most recently playing at Triple-A Norfolk but is a good bet to be added to the Marlins' 26-man active roster in the near future. The 26-year-old has turned in a .797 OPS in 19 games in the majors in 2024 and has produced an .870 OPS during his time at the Triple-A level.

The Marlins acquired Norby and outfielder Kyle Stowers from the Orioles on Tuesday in exchange for left-hander Trevor Rogers, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Norby was one of Baltimore's top prospects and had recently been operating as the club's primary second baseman, but he's now making his way to Miami. The 24-year-old has a .594 OPS in his first nine big-league games but has a .300/.392/.522 slash line with 16 home runs and 13 steals in 80 games at Triple-A Norfolk this season. Norby should have a regular spot in the lineup for the Marlins the rest of the way, which offers him a more secure outlook than he had in the Orioles' crowded infield.

The Cubs acquired Neely and infielder Benjamin Cowles (undisclosed) from the Yankees on Tuesday in exchange for right-hander Mark Leiter, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Neely, 24, has split this season between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, posting a 2.81 ERA and 63:16 K:BB over 41.2 frames. He could emerge as a high-leverage reliever for the Cubs once he reaches the majors.