MLB Player News

Ray (elbow) will be activated from the 60-day injured list to start Wednesday's game against the Dodgers, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

As expected, Ray has been cleared to return during San Francisco's upcoming series against the Dodgers after completing his recovery from Tommy John surgery. He may face some limitations during his first big-league start since March 2023, though he tossed 78 pitches and worked into the sixth inning during his final rehab outing Friday for Triple-A Sacramento.

Winn (elbow) has been shut down from throwing after experiencing discomfort in his elbow over the weekend, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Winn has been out since June 22 with a nerve issue in his right elbow and he appears to have suffered a setback in his recovery. The timeline for the right-hander's return is unclear at this point and with just over two months remaining in the season, it's possible that the Giants could opt to shut him down completely if his issues persist.

Birdsong was optioned to Single-A San Jose on Monday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Birdsong put together a stellar start Sunday against the Rockies, fanning 12 while allowing two runs over six frames, but he'll return to the minor leagues for now. Slusser notes that the right-hander's assignment to the affiliate geographically closest to San Francisco likely means he'll be back with the big-league club as the 27th man for Saturday's doubleheader against the Rockies. The impending return of Alex Cobb (hip) and Robbie Ray (elbow) could squeeze the rookie out of the Giants' rotation plans after this weekend, however.

Manager Dave Roberts stated Monday that the club could begin deploying Phillips any time from the seventh inning on, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Roberts didn't explicitly say that Phillips is no longer the closer, but his struggles over the last three weeks or so can't be ignored, especially with Daniel Hudson proving that he's capable of getting the job done. The Dodgers will likely choose Phillips' spots carefully in an effort to build his confidence back up. The right-hander has now allowed at least one run in four of his last five appearances.

Miller is expected to make at least one more start with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Miller was optioned to Triple-A on July 10 after struggling to a 9.87 ERA over four starts following a two-month stretch on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation. The 25-year-old threw five scoreless innings against Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday, allowing three hits and four walks while striking out four batters. It's unclear how long Miller could remain in the minors, but manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Miller would return to the major-league roster at some point. "I don't know when, but we are counting on it," Roberts said.

Buehler (hip) will throw a bullpen session Monday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Manager Dave Roberts said he had a positive conversation with Buehler following his time away from the club while on the mend from right hip inflammation. While there's no set plan for the next steps in Buehler's recovery, the right-hander is expected to make a couple rehab starts following Monday's side session.

Betts (hand) has been cleared to swing a bat, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Betts continues to take steps in the right direction after landing on the injured list June 17 due to a fractured left hand. If all goes well, he'll progress to hitting off a tee in the near future. Manager Dave Roberts noted that Betts is still "some time away" from a return, but he's pleased with the progress the 31-year-old superstar has made, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com.

Tovar will start at shortstop and bat second in Monday's game against the Red Sox.

Tovar was held out of the lineup Sunday in what was believed to be a routine rest day, but Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com relays that the shortstop has been dealing with flu-like symptoms. Though Tovar isn't yet feeling 100 percent, he showed enough improvement overnight to re-enter the starting nine for the series opener with the Red Sox.

Jones (lat) threw off flat ground up to 120 feet Monday, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Jones has started up a throwing progression just under three weeks after landing on the injured list with a Grade 2 right lat strain. While it's encouraging sign that the 22-year-old is throwing again, Jones is likely to be ramped up slowly and deliberately with his long-term health in mind. A clearer target date for Jones' return from the IL probably won't be known until he reaches the point in his rehab where he's facing hitters, but fantasy managers should prepare for his absence to stretch into August, at the very least.

Lux is starting at second base and batting eighth in Monday's series opener against the Giants.

Despite San Francisco sending southpaw Blake Snell to the mound Monday, the lefty-hitting Lux will get the start at second base with Miguel Rojas (forearm) unavailable, limiting the Dodgers' platoon options. With Lux at the keystone, Enrique Hernandez will shift over to shortstop while Chris Taylor starts at the hot corner.