Baker picks up 19th save of season vs. Nationals

With Kyle Teel (knee) back off the injured list, the White Sox decided to keep Drew Romo as the backup. Quero has hit .187/.253/.233 in 172 plate appearances this season and just doesn’t provide enough defensive value to remain as the backup.

Teel looks set to make his season debut with the White Sox. The 24-year-old hurt his hamstring in the World Baseball Classic and then suffered a knee sprain in May that sidelined him even longer. Teel hit .273/.375/.411 in 78 games as a rookie last season with eight home runs and 35 RBI. He can be added in most leagues if you need a catcher, but he’s probably a fringe option in shallower one-catcher formats.

Schultz allowed two hits and threw 38 of his 57 pitches for strikes in what was a solid day overall. He should push 70 pitches in his next rehab outing, so he might need to make two more starts before becoming an option for the White Sox again.

Waldrep walked two and struck out five while throwing 43 of his 71 pitches for strikes. His velocity remains slightly down, as he averaged 95 mph on his sinker, but he posted a solid 24 percent whiff rate overall. The command could use some time after he had loose bodies removed from his elbow earlier this season, so he should make at least one more start, possibly two, before he becomes an option for Atlanta.

Báez now has 25 home runs and 64 RBI in 67 games this year. In June, he’s hitting .348/.377/.826 with nine home runs and 25 RBI. Yes, he has a 19/3 K/BB ratio in that span, but strikeouts are always going to be a part of his game. At this point, we’re not entirely sure what St. Louis needs to see from him in order to give him a shot.

Montgomery allowed one hit and struck out one while throwing 10 of his 13 pitches for strikes. It was the 33-year-old’s first game action since 2024, so it was just nice to see him get through a clean inning. He will need a lengthy rehab stint as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery, but he could make a few starts for the Rangers at the end of the season.

Francona mentioned that the stabilization program is to “get his core at a certain place so he can handle what’s ahead of him.” The Reds have also spoken to Hayes about working on the adjustments that the hitting coaches want him to do, so he may have an extended rehab stint once he gets into a game, so that he can iron out those adjustments. The Reds’ offense may also be better off with Eugenio Suarez at third base and Edwin Arroyo starting in the infield, so there may not be a rush to get Hayes back into the lineup.

Venable also said that the first baseman would get into rehab games as soon as he felt 100 percent. We may be another couple of weeks away from that, which means there is a chance Murakami is playing rehab games by July and could return just before the All-Star break.

Grisham suffered a hamstring strain on June 12 and was expected to miss “multiple weeks.” He is already performing on field agility exercises, and the Yankees “are discussing whether he will accompany them on their trip to Detroit/Boston.” It sounds like the center fielder may be able to make his return soon. That could mean less playing time for Spencer Jones.

Healy appeared on the Talkin’ Sox podcast to provide an update on the Red Sox’s first baseman. Casas was recovering from a ruptured patellar tendon in May of last season and was beginning a rehab assignment when he suffered an abdominal injury at the beginning of April this year. It’s nice to see him beginning to swing again, and there’s a chance he could face live pitching soon, but any games the Red Sox can get from Casas this season should be treated as a bonus.