Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black said on Tuesday that outfielder Charlie Blackmon (hamstring) "is doing better" and "looks like he will be able to make it in the 10-day period." Blackmon stayed in Denver and is working out there rather than joining the team on their road trip to Houston, according to Black, adding that Blackmon will meet the team in Chicago and "more than likely be activated on the first day he is eligible." His IL placement was backdated to June 19, so he can return on Friday for the series opener against the White Sox. The four-time All-Star is no longer at his peak, especially in the power department, but he's still serviceable for outfield depth in deep-mixed fantasy leagues. Blackmon will return to a .266/.337/.410 triple-slash line with three homers, 26 RBI and five steals when the Rockies activate him this weekend.

Texas Rangers outfield prospect Alejandro Osuna went 5-for-5 with two singles, one double, one triple, and a round-tripper. This impressive performance was another strong showing for the 21-year-old as of late, as he holds a .342/.405/.605 slash line in his past nine games. Osuna has been with High-A Hickory for 136 games throughout the past three seasons and could be nearing his promotion to Double-A. This season he is on pace to set a new career high in home runs and in slugging percentage. Despite his increase in power this season, he has lowered his on-base percentage significantly from a .381 mark last season to a .339 he currently sits with. Osuna is not ranked in MLB Pipeline's top 30 Ranger prospects but could slot in this ranking later this summer if he continues this power surge.

Colorado Rockies right-hander German Marquez (elbow) will throw again in a minor-league rehab appearance with Triple-A Albuquerque. Marquez cruised through his third rehab start for High-A Spokane last Saturday, tossing four scoreless innings with three strikeouts and two walks while throwing strikes on 28 of his 50 pitches. "The velocity was good," Marquez said. "My fastball had some life, and my breaking ball was nice." The 29-year-old continues his rehab from Tommy John surgery and could return to Colorado's starting rotation before the All-Star break in mid-July as long as he doesn't encounter any setbacks. The Venezuelan hurler was an All-Star as recently as 2021 and could become a matchup-based streamer in deep-mixed fantasy leagues when he's back, although we'd probably temper expectations after his long layoff.

Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz (calf) was doing most baseball activities, manager Bud Black said on Tuesday, but he was "still a little sore." "He's doing everything, but I don't want to say full-on sprint, but he's gaining on the confidence level of running, increasing that intensity every day," Black said. "He's still more than a week away, but we are confident there." During batting practice on June 22, Diaz was launching balls the opposite way over the right-field wall but he's also being careful with an unpredictable calf injury. "He's got a calf strain and it's legit," Black said. "We want to make sure he's really, really healthy when he comes back." For a little while longer, Jacob Stallings will serve as Colorado's primary backstop. Diaz needs to be stashed in all fantasy formats, as he was hitting .303 (60-for-198) with five homers and 28 RBI before his left-calf injury.

The Boston Red Sox announced on Thursday that they have reinstated catcher Connor Wong from the paternity list and optioned catcher Tyler Heineman to the minors in a corresponding move. The team also sent right-hander Isaiah Campbell to Triple-A Worcester. The Red Sox have an off day on Thursday before opening a series on Friday at Fenway Park against the visiting San Diego Padres. Wong will be back in there then as the team's starting catcher. Although the underlying metrics show that the 28-year-old backstop is due for some regression in the second half of the season, you can't argue against his breakout season to this point with a triple-slash line of .330/.390/.480 with seven home runs, 29 RBI and 26 runs scored in 200 at-bats. Get him back into your lineups for Friday's action.