MLB Player News

Sanchez went 1-for-3 with a double and three RBI Thursday against the Red Sox.

Sanchez is now 4-of-9 with seven RBI over his past two games after going just 1-for-31 during his prior eight games. His strikeout rate has been well down to start the season and his low average was largely the result of a .063 BABIP entering Thursday's game. Although his hard hit rate has dipped in the early going, there's no reason to panic over Sanchez's slow start and he already seems to be working out of it.

Vazquez is not in the lineup against the Yankees on Thursday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Vazquez will occupy a seat on the bench after setting up behind the plate the past three games. In his absence, Sandy Leon will catch Rick Porcello and bat eighth in the order. Expect to see Vazquez back in the lineup for Friday's series opener against Baltimore.

McCann is not in the lineup against the Indians on Thursday.

Following three straight starts behind the plate, McCann will retreat to the bench in favor of John Hicks for the series finale. Over the course of nine games this season, McCann has hit just .147/.237/.176 with five RBI in 38 plate appearances.

Gomes is out of the lineup against Detroit on Thursday.

Gomes will receive a night off after going 1-for-4 with one run and a pair of strikeouts during Wednesday's victory. Roberto Perez is set to fill in behind the dish while batting seventh in the order.

Sanchez went 3-for-5 with a double, two home runs, three runs scored and four RBI in Wednesday's 10-7 win over the Red Sox.

The catcher came into the game hitting .056 (2-for-36) with just one homer and three RBI, so Wednesday's offensive explosion was a welcome sight for anyone with fantasy shares in Sanchez. Don't be surprised if the 25-year-old goes on a tear now that the pressure of his early-season slump seems to be off his shoulders.

Maldonado is out of the lineup against Texas on Wednesday, TR Sullivan of MLB.com reports.

Maldonado will receive a standard day off following three straight starts, including a 3-for-5 night with two RBI during Tuesday's victory. In his place, Rene Rivera will catch Jaime Barria and bat ninth in the order.

Perez hit a game-winning solo home run in Tuesday's win over the Tigers. He finished the day 2-for-2 with a run, an RBI and a walk.

Getting the start for Yan Gomes, Perez answered the bell and clubbed his first home run of the season to give the Indians a lead they would not surrender. For as good as Tuesday was for Perez, it's important to note that it was just his fourth game of the season while Gomes has gotten seven starts. Neither catcher has performed well offensively; in fact, Perez's hits Tuesday were his first of the season.

Maldonado went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and one run scored Tuesday against the Rangers.

Maldonado has swung a hot bat to begin the series against the Rangers, going 5-for-8 with two runs scored and four RBI. His batting average sits at .323 for the season but he has relied on an inflated BABIP to get there. He should continue to see consistent at-bats as the Angels' top catcher but his fantasy value will be limited thanks to his lack of power and low spot in the batting order.

After going 0-for-4 in Tuesday's loss to the Indians, McCann is now slashing just .161/.257/.194 with no home runs through his first 31 at-bats.

McCann slashed .253/.318/.415 last season and launched a career-high 13 home runs, but he's scuffling so far in 2018. Still, the opportunities should continue to be there for the 27-year-old, and playing time alone makes him an option in deeper two-catcher leagues.

Sanchez (calf) is serving as the designated hitter and batting cleanup Tuesday against the Red Sox.

As had been the hope, Sanchez is back in action after missing the previous two games with a calf injury. The Yankees will ease him back into things and limit him to hitting in his first game back, but if everything checks out after Tuesday's game, Sanchez should be cleared to return to catching shortly thereafter. He'll face the Red Sox's ace, Chris Sale, in his return to action.