The Rangers are satisfied that third baseman Adrian Beltre's Grade 1 left hamstring strain is healed. Beltre is scheduled to start against the Rays on Thursday in the final game of the homestand. Rangers manager Ron Washington said Beltre can expect to be rested at times in September.

Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz is expected to miss three weeks after an MRI revealed a Grade I strain of his left hamstring. Cruz will receive a PRP injection from Rangers physician Dr. Keith Meister to stimulate the healing process. Leonys Martin is the likely internal replacement for Cruz. Martin has hit .263 with no homers and 17 RBIs in 40 games for Triple-A Round Rock.

Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier returned to the starting lineup on Monday night, one day after meeting privately with manager Don Mattingly and general manager Ned Colletti. Ethier met with Mattingly and Colletti to clear the air in the wake of comments the outfielder made that seemed to imply he was being forced to play through a knee injury against his wishes. He later backtracked on those comments, saying he was the one whose decision it was to keep playing. Ethier will likely require offseason surgery. After reinserting Ethier into the lineup on Monday, Mattingly said that isn't a concern. "We're not going to do any damage to it," Mattingly said. "We're not taking a chance at tearing any ligaments."

Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez returned to New York Monday to consult with a hand specialist regarding his injured left thumb. According to manager Joe Girardi, Rodriguez's availability for this week's showdown with the Red Sox is in doubt. "I think it's really questionable," Girardi said. "He's day to day. I don't know if he'll be able to play tomorrow." Girardi added that Rodriguez had an MRI, which "came back good," and would join the team in Boston on Tuesday.

The Mets plan to activate Jose Reyes for Game 2 of Monday's doubleheader against the Marlins, manager Terry Collins said. Reyes delayed plans Sunday to travel to New York because of Hurricane Irene and was due to drive back Monday morning. He last appeared in a major league game Aug. 7. Reyes had been idle because of a strained left hamstring for the second time during the second half of the season.

Giants left-hander Jonathan Sanchez might be done for the season with a left ankle sprain that hasn't improved. "He's still not making the progress we'd hoped. He hasn't thrown at all. He's a ways away," manager Bruce Bochy said. "The way it's going, it could be a close call between he and Buster (Posey)." Jonathan Sanchez last threw Aug. 19 at Houston to see if he could start two days later, but he didn't respond.

Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz came out of Sunday night's 9-5 win over the Angels with a strained left hamstring. Cruz pulled up just after rounding the first-base bag on a double to lead off the sixth inning. He will be re-evaluated on Monday. When asked after the game if he was optimistic about Cruz, Rangers manager Ron Washington responded, "He's got a hamstring, so you know what that means -- time." Cruz had a strained hamstring three times last year and he went on the disabled list all three times (twice with left hamstring strains), missing a total of 51 games in 2010.

Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg is expected to throw in another Minor League game on Thursday. Washington has said they prefer Strasburg to pitch only in home games during his rehab starts. Triple-A Syracuse will be on the road Thursday, so Double-A Harrisburg appears to be the likely spot for his next outing.

Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier met with team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Sunday morning for further examination on his right knee. Ethier has experienced gradually increasing discomfort over the past two years and will probably undergo minor surgery after the season. Before meeting with Dr. ElAttrache, Ethier sat down with manager Don Mattingly and general manager Ned Colletti to address comments the right fielder made in Sunday's editions of the Los Angeles Times. Ethier seemed to imply that Mattingly was playing him against his wishes despite the knee pain. "I got kind of blindsided by that (column)," Mattingly said. "To me, the way I read it was that Dre has been telling us he couldn't play and we said play anyway. That definitely isn't the case. For me, that is taking a shot at my integrity. Not just mine, but the organization, the training staff and Ned. "His knee has been banged up, there is no denying that. But with that, we check with him. 'Are you OK today?' There have been times when I will get him in the weight room after a game and say, 'I'm giving you the day off tomorrow,' and then he'll come into my office and say he wants to (play)."

The Indians will be without outfielder Michael Brantley for the remainder of the season. Brantley, who was placed on the 60-day disabled list on Sunday, will have surgery to remove part of the hamate bone in his right hand. He played with tendinitis in his wrist for several weeks, but the soreness subsided with treatment and rest. However, he recently felt pain in his hand. Brantley, Cleveland's leadoff hitter, batted .266 with seven homers and 46 RBIs in 114 games.