MLB Player News

The Giants optioned Avila to Double-A Richmond on Wednesday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Avila is being sent to Richmond rather than Triple-A Sacramento because the Giants are on the East Coast and may need to recall Avila if Blake Snell goes on the paternity list. The reliever holds a 9.31 ERA over 9.2 innings with the Giants this season.

Lopez will start at second base and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the Brewers.

Lopez will stick in the lineup for the 11th game in a row, with his starting assignments Tuesday and Wednesday being especially notable in light of Tim Anderson's return from the injured list earlier in the week. Vidal Brujan has been on the bench for both games since Anderson stepped back in as the Marlins' everyday shortstop, signaling that manager Skip Schumaker is content to stick with Lopez at the keystone while the 25-year-old is wielding a hot bat. Through 16 games thus far in May, Lopez is slashing .310/.362/.524 with two home runs, two stolen bases, 10 RBI and six runs.

The Giants activated Snell (adductor) from the 15-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday against the Pirates in Pittsburgh.

Snell will rejoin the rotation Wednesday after completing his recovery from a Grade 2 adductor strain. The left-hander posted an 11.57 ERA in his first three starts with the Giants this season but looked sharp during two rehab outings, not allowing a hit or a run while collecting a 17:1 K:BB in nine innings. He threw just 60 pitches in his most recent rehab outing Friday, so Snell's workload could be relatively limited Wednesday. According to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area, Snell could go on paternity leave after Wednesday's outing, but in such a scenario, he should be back in time to make his next start.

Brujan is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Brewers.

After a stretch of 16 consecutive starts, Brujan is on the bench for the second day in a row and appears set to operate as a utility man moving forward. His most recent nine starts came at shortstop, but Tim Anderson returned from the injured list Tuesday and has reclaimed everyday duties at the position. Meanwhile, Brujan looks to have lost out on playing time at second base to Otto Lopez, who has produced an .886 OPS thus far in May while chipping in two home runs and two stolen bases.

The Marlins recalled Ramirez from Triple-A Jacksonville on Sunday.

He joined the bullpen as a replacement for Anthony Maldonado, who was optioned to Jacksonville in a corresponding move. Since being called up, Ramirez's lone relief appearance came in Tuesday's 7-5 loss to the Brewers, when he struck out one over 1.1 scoreless innings.

Frelick is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins.

Along with fellow left-handed-hitting regulars Jake Bauers and Brice Turang, Frelick will hit the bench for the third game in a row while the Marlins bring another southpaw (Jesus Luzardo) to the hill. Blake Perkins will step in for Frelick in center field.

Turang is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins.

The lefty-hitting Turang finds himself on the bench for the third game in a row while the Marlins bring another southpaw (Jesus Luzardo) to the hill. Andruw Monasterio will fill in at second base for Turang.

Bauers is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins.

The Brewers are facing a southpaw (Jesus Luzardo) for the third straight game, so the lefty-hitting Bauers will remain on the bench. Owen Miller will draw the start at first base, and he should continue to work in a platoon with Bauers until Rhys Hoskins (hamstring) returns from the injured list.

Casali is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Pirates, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Casali had started behind the plate in each of the previous three games, but he'll likely see his opportunities dwindle after Patrick Bailey (concussion) was reinstated from the 7-day injured list Tuesday. The journeyman backstop has fared well through the first four starts of his second stint with the Giants, going 4-for-16 with four walks, three runs and two RBI.

Luciano will start at shortstop and bat seventh in Wednesday's game against the Pirates, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Luciano will pick up his fifth straight start after going 6-for-15 with two doubles, two walks, four runs and one RBI over the previous four contests. He should continue to hold down a regular role at shortstop while Nick Ahmed (wrist) is on the shelf, and Luciano may keep the job once Ahmed is healthy if he can continue to produce at the plate.