Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Nick Gonzales (groin) will join Triple-A Indianapolis in Nashville later this week and start a minor-league rehab assignment next week. The Pirates put Gonzales on the 10-day injured list at the end of July due to a strained left groin, but he's apparently feeling much better and will resume playing in games next week. Barring a setback, it's possible that the 25-year-old will return to starting duties at the keystone in Pittsburgh by next weekend. However, with the recent trade acquisition of utility infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Gonzales may be in more of a battle for playing time than he was before his injury. The former seventh overall pick in 2020 out of New Mexico State didn't make his 2024 debut until May 10 and has hit .258 (64-for-248) with five home runs, 39 RBI and 28 runs scored in 65 games in just his second year in the majors.

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander Jared Jones (lat) and outfielder Joshua Palacios (hamstring) are going to start their minor-league rehab assignments with Triple-A Indianapolis this week, according to a source. The expectation is that Jones will make a rehab start for Indy on Thursday. The 23-year-old Jones will finally get back on a mound for game action after missing more than a month with a Grade 2 right-lat strain. Because the Pirates want to limit the youngster's innings in his first MLB season, they haven't exactly been rushing him back, and Jones is likely to need at least a few rehab starts before being activated from the injured list. Barring setbacks, though, he could be back for fantasy managers before the end of August. Jones has a bright future ahead of him after posting a 26.4% strikeout rate, 3.56 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in his first 16 big-league starts this year.

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz (illness) was sick and unavailable to play in the series-opening loss to the visiting San Diego Padres on Tuesday, according to manager Derek Shelton. With Cruz not feeling well, there's a chance he could miss a second straight game against the Padres on Wednesday, so fantasy managers need to be on the lookout before putting the 25-year-old back into their starting lineups. Cruz missed his first game of the second half of the season on Tuesday. Since the All-Star break, he's been hot offensively, slashing .300/.354/.583 with three home runs and 12 RBI in 15 games, so if he returns on Wednesday, get him back into your lineups immediately. With Cruz out on Tuesday, the recently acquired Isiah Kiner-Falefa got the start at the 6 for the Bucs and went 1-for-4 with a strikeout in the 6-0 loss.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger is not in the team's starting lineup on Wednesday versus the visiting Minnesota Twins. It appears to be just a normal day off for Bellinger, who has operated as the designated hitter in all eight games since returning from fractured middle finger on his left hand that kept him sidelined for almost three weeks. It remains to be seen how much longer the 29-year-old left-handed hitter will be relegated to DH duties for the Cubs. Bellinger doesn't appear to be dealing with any lingering effects from his fractured finger, though, as he's gone 10-for-32 (.313) with two homers, a double and six RBI in eight games played since coming off the injured list on July 30. Rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong will make another start in center field and will bat eighth on Wednesday against Twins right-hander Joe Ryan.

Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis is getting the day off at Wrigley Field against the hosting Chicago Cubs. With Lewis on the bench to start, Jose Miranda will make the start at third base and bat third, with Matt Wallner serving as the designated hitter and batting cleanup against Cubs right-hander Javier Assad. Lewis will take a seat after starting each of the team's last eight games. The 25-year-old right-handed slugger has started off the month of August by going 5-for-17 (.294) with three home runs, a double and 10 RBI in five games for the Twins. The former first overall pick in 2017 has been as injury-prone as they come early in his big-league career, but when healthy, he's a must-start in fantasy with elite power production. Lewis currently has 14 homers, 31 RBI and a .280 average (35-for-125) in only 35 games in 2024.