Out since June 15 with a left oblique strain, Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko was cleared to play and has been activated by Chicago to be available for their upcoming series against the Kansas City Royals.  With Konerko's return, someone had to go and Pablo Ozuna was designated for assignment to make room.  Ozuna will need to clear waivers in order for the Sox to keep him in the organization.

While Konerko was away, the White Sox 4 1/2 game division lead dwindled to just 1 1/2 games over the hard-charging Minnesota Twins although Chicago went 13-7.  During the same stretch, the Twins went 16-4 and closed the gap by three games. 

The former All-Star has struggled so far this season hitting .215 with eight home runs and 30 RBI in 62 games.  Konerko was showing signs of a turn around before the injury -- he was 10-for-32 with one homer and 4 RBI in the eight games before he was sidelined. 

The White Sox could lose Ozuna on the waiver wire.  In his fourth season with the White Sox, the 33-year-old utilityman was hitting .281 and in his career has played every position with the exception of catcher.  In June, Ozuna was 7-for-20 and showed the ability to be an excellent pinch hitter and pinch runner.

KONERKO'S PLAYER PAGE ON BASEBALL DIGEST DAILY

OZUNA'S PLAYER PAGE ON BASEBALL DIGEST DAILY

More troubles for Detroit's Dontrelle Willis in the Minors.  Willis was examined on Tuesday and the team announced the examination revealed the struggling pitcher was diagnosed with tendinitis in his right knee -- the same knee that put him on the DL in April. 

Now, Willis will be forced to wear a brace as he continues to search for his control at Class A Lakeland.  Since joining Lakeland, Willis appeared in one game on June 29 and allowed one run on one hit and three walks in two innings of work. 

Willis is currently not scheduled to appear in a game for Lakeland and there is no timetable set for his return to a game at any level of ball.  Also, it is unsure of how this latest injury will hamper his return.

WILLIS' PLAYER PAGE ON BASEBALL DIGEST DAILY

Three players landed on the 15-day disabled list today:

Washington Nationals outfielder Elijah Dukes will require surgery to repair his injured right knee which has forced the team to place him on the 15-day disabled list.  Dukes injured himself chasing down a deep fly ball off the bat of Cincinnati's Jay Bruce on Saturday.

Dukes is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

New York Mets outfielder Ryan Church cannot shake the lingering effects of the concussion he suffered on May 20.  Church will head to the DL again due to migraine headaches.  He will be replaced by outfielder Nick Evans.

Marlins catcher Matt Treanor was also placed on the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday due to a left hip strain.  In his absence, catcher John Baker was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque.  Baker has never played in the Majors and joins Paul Hoover and his 59 career plate appearances as the Marlins' only backstop options.

It is no secret Florida is searching for a catcher before the July 31 trade deadline.

Five of the eight Home Run Derby participants at the last All-Star game to ever be held at Yankee Stadium were announced on Monday.  Chase Utley, Dan Uggla and Lance Berkman of the National League will join Grady Sizemore and Josh Hamilton in the American League with three players -- one in the National League and two in the American League -- to still be announced.  One name missing so far is defending Home Run Derby champion Vladimir Guerrero who did not make the All-Star roster but could still be asked to participate.

Another possibility is Yankees slugger Jason Giambi who said he would participate if asked, if he were to be selected by the fans as the 32nd player on the AL roster in conjunction with Major League Baseball's Final Vote promotion.

No player on the Chicago Cubs will be available for the Derby.  All of the Cubs' players that made the team have collectively decided not to participate.

Mississippi must be a magical place.  Don't believe me?  Ask Jeff Francoeur.  Francoeur was sent down after a game on July 3 to spend just enough time at Double-A Mississippi to have his feelings hurt by the team's decision to send him down -- Francoeur was recalled on Monday after just three games in the Minors.

Francoeur told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he felt "betrayed" by the decision to send him down.

"After three years, after playing hurt, playing every day, going in every day whether I got a hit and never complaining, I just played because Bobby [Cox] kept putting me in the lineup," Francoeur said to the Constitution. "But I just felt like a little three-minute thing -- 'Hey, you're going down' -- I feel like after three years, I was owed a little more of an explanation. But that's [general manager] Frank [Wren]'s deal and that's what I guess they decided to do."

Granted, Francoeur went 7-for-13 in three games and the team lost two pitchers and a utility player to injury on Sunday but it is a little surprising to see Francoeur return so quickly.

The Texas Rangers will use their 11th starting pitcher of the season on Tuesday when 22-year-old Matt Harrison takes the hill against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  With Eric Hurley and Vincente Padilla injured, the Rangers announced they plan to call up the lefty from Triple-A Oklahoma.

Harrison started the season in Double-A Frisco before being moved up to Triple-A.  Between the two levels, Harrison is a combined 6-3 with a 3.43 ERA. 

Pitching, in general, has been poor for the Rangers this season.  The team's 5.03 ERA is the worst in the American League and only the Pittsburgh Pirates with their 5.17 ERA have a higher one in the Majors.  After Padilla with 10 wins, no one on the team has more than six.

Harrison is scheduled to face All-Star Joe Saunders who is 12-4 with a 3.04 ERA for the Angels in his Major League debut.