Zimmermann clears waivers and heads to AAA

Culpepper is back at shortstop and hitting second following a relatively brief two-game absence due to a right shoulder contusion after being hit by a pitch over the weekend. The 23-year-old top prospect has delivered a strong .283 (30-for-106) batting average with three homers, 11 RBI and one steal in 30 games since ascending to the majors last month.

DeLauter missed four games with the issue earlier this month. With DeLauter day-to-day, the Guardians have Travis Bazzana at DH and Angel Genao at second base tonight.

The Guardians are optimistic Martínez avoided a significant injury, but he’s not ready to play tonight. He had started nine of the team’s last 10 games. In his absence, the Guardians have Petey Halpin in center and Steven Kwan in left tonight.

Montgomery is in 0-for-14 and 5-for-47 slumps at the moment. The switch-hitting Montgomery’s previous days off have mostly come against righties, but he’s sitting against a lefty tonight, with Tristan Peters starting in right. Montgomery is hitting just .134/.217/.244 against lefties, compared to .243/.345/.379 versus righties

Langeliers didn’t start Sunday in his second game off the IL after knee surgery. He’s hitting third tonight, dropping Zack Gelof down to fifth. Max Muncy and Tommy White are both on the bench with the DH spot taken.

Even though Gonzales is in the hunt for a batting title and has been quite a bit better against righties (.324/.385/.425) than lefties (.262/.330/.323), he had been held out of the starting lineup in two of the Pirates’ previous three games against righties, as things have gotten more crowded with Konnor Griffin and Ryan O’Hearn back. Gonzales is, though, getting a nod over Jared Triolo and Jacob Gonzalez tonight. It’s the first time since July 7, which was a few days before Gonzalez was acquired from the White Sox, that the Pirates haven’t included one of Triolo or Gonzalez in the lineup.

Tommy Edman has been leading off in Shohei Ohtani’s place, but he’s down to seventh against a righty tonight. De Paula hadn’t hit higher than sixth in his previous four starts since being called up. He’s only 2-for-14 to date, but those two hits are a homer and a double, and he’s drawn five walks while having yet to strike out.

Freeman is batting second tonight after getting Monday off to continue to recover from the knee soreness that’s been plaguing him.

Backdating the IL assignment means Jump will be able to return the day after the season ends, which seems useful. Jump finishes off a promising rookie season 6-11 with a 5.47 ERA and a 108/46 K/BB in 98 2/3 innings. On another team, he’d be of interest in shallow leagues next spring. As a member of the A’s, he has one more year to go in a minor league ballpark before he’ll offer much in the way of upside.

Rock, claimed off waivers from the White Sox last month, will be making his A’s debut after allowing only one run and three hits in 10 1/3 innings out of the pen for Vegas. He has a 3.00 ERA and a 23/13 K/BB in 18 innings as a major leaguer with the Rays and White Sox.