According to an ESPN.com report on Sunday, the Brewers have acquired second baseman Ray Durham from the Giants.

Durham is hitting .293 for the Giants, with an on-base percentage of .385, and could help the Brewers as a utility player. But it is also very possible that he will press Rickie Weeks, the Brewers' every-day second baseman for playing time. [READ]

Red Sox Manager Terry Francona plans to give Jed Lowrie more of a look at shortstop, according to The Boston Globe.

Lowrie went hitless in four at-bats after replacing Julio Lugo on July 12.

"We want to play this kid a little bit," Manager Terry Francona said Saturday. "This kid is steady. He has good at-bats, and kind of looks like Bill Mueller. I'm not sure that's not exciting."

The main issue will be whether or not Lowrie is able to play consistently in the field.

"He'll be measured by some by balls that he can't get to," Francona said. "But if he makes the routine plays consistently, makes the plays he's supposed to make, that's a good shortstop." [READ]

Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano will begin a rehab assignment on Monday with Chicago’s rookie league team in Arizona and is expected to come off the disabled list on Thursday, as reported by the Associated Press. [READ]

Nationals' first baseman Dmitri Young was placed on the disabled list on Saturday night while third baseman Ryan Zimmerman will be recalled, according to The Washington Post.

Young hasn't been able to control his diabetes while Zimmerman was able to rehabilitate a shoulder injury without surgery.

"This is all new to me, and we'll take the necessary steps," Young said Saturday night. "That's the thing with diabetes. It's a monster. Just got to keep learning."

Young has been suffering from light-headedness as of late. [READ]

The Cardinals hope to have Chris Carpenter back in the starting rotation by August, according to The Associated Press.

Carpenter will begin his rehab stint on Sunday with Double-A Springfield after being out since Opening Day in 2007 with an elbow injury.

He is a former 20-game winner and took home the NL Cy Young award in 2005. [READ]

Jared Clark (Cal State Fullerton; Castaic, Calif.) went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, and three RBI Saturday night as the USA Baseball National Team defeated the Czech Republic National Team 8-2 in pool-play action of the 2008 FISU World Championships at Ostrava Field. Team USA improved to 2-0 in FISU pool-play action and 18-0 on its 2008 tour with the victory.

Clark was not the only Cal State Fullerton player to shine for Team USA. Josh Fellhauer (Cal State Fullerton; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) went 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI, two walks, and three runs scored. Clark and Fellhauer spear-headed Team USA's 13-hit attack. [READ]

The Astros have placed pitcher Roy Oswalt on the disabled list with a left hip abductor strain that was suffered in late June, according to MLB.com.

Oswalt was previously scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday afternoon in hopes that he could re-enter Houston's rotation on Tuesday.

He was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to his one-inning, 17-pitch start on July 11 against the Nationals. [READ]

The Yankees are reportedly looking at Pittsburgh outfielder Jason Bay and Xavier Nady, according to The Star-Ledger.

The status of Hideki Matsui is still up in the air, which has forced New York to pursue other options.

"It's going to take a little bit of time," a Major League official said of the whether anything happens. "I think with recent events, (the Yankees) would like to add a bat."

The Pirates are asking more for Bay than Nady. Minor-league outfielders Austin Jackson and Jose Tabata and pitchers such as Ian Kennedy are names that could be discussed. [READ]

Oakland first baseman Daric Barton smacked his head on the bottom of a pool during the All-Star break and has been placed on the disabled list with a strained neck, according to The Mercury-Register.

The move was made retroactive to July 14.

"As soon as I did it I was kind of in shock," he said. "My head's fine. I jarred my neck a little bit. Left side is pretty good; it's just the right side. I can't move to the right pretty much." [READ]

Mariners pitcher Erik Bedard isn't expected to return to the mound until August, according to The Sporting News.

The Seattle Times reports that Mariners' manager Jim Riggleman said he doesn't expect Bedard to pitch before July 31. The left-hander has been on the disabled list since July 5 with left shoulder stiffness. [READ]

White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen believes that the focus should be placed solely on the team now as they sit in first place, according to The Beacon News.

"One thing about the second half, no matter what has happened during the season, good or bad, people are not going to remember that," Guillen said. "It's all about the ballclub right now. It's not about 'my numbers.' I'm not saying it was in the first half, but it's a little different when you are in the pennant race. (The players) have a chance to do nice stuff for (themselves), and hopefully, they take advantage." [READ]

There is still some talk that Yankees' outfielder Hideki Matsui could have surgery on his injured left knee, according to The New York Daily News.

Matsui was examined by team doctor Stuart Hershon on Friday, and he had been told to "avoid activities and stay quiet" through the weekend.

He has had continued swelling in the knee, said the possibility of surgery was still "out there," although no timetable has been discussed. [READ]

Cubs' outfielder Alfonso Soriano took batting practice on Friday for the first time in two weeks and is hoping to make a return next week, according The Chicago Tribune.

"I just want to make my mind feel comfortable," Soriano said.

The current plan is to have Soriano get some at-bats in a Rookie League game on Monday before making a two-game rehab appearance with Triple-A Iowa.

That would leave open the possibilty of a return on Thursday against the Marlins at Wrigley Field. [READ]