MLB Player News

Angels sluggers Mike Trout and Albert Pujols lead a powerful American League lineup for Tuesday's All-Star Game, which was announced Monday by AL manager Ned Yost. 

Trout will play center field and bat leadoff, while Pujols will hit third and play first base. Together, the pair of Los Angeles teammates have combined for 52 home runs and 111 RBIs to rally the Angels into first place at the break. 

Here's the full AL lineup:

1. Mike Trout, CF, Angels
2. Josh Donaldson, 3B, Blue Jays
3. Albert Pujols, 1B, Angels
4. Nelson Cruz, DH, Mariners
5. Lorenzo Cain, RF, Royals
6. Adam Jones, LF, Orioles
7. Salvador Perez, C, Royals
8. Jose Altuve, 2B, Astros
9. Alcides Escobar, SS, Royals 

Yan Gomes will not start Saturday's game behind the plate for the Indians. 

Gomes has started the last five games and eight of the last nine at catcher for Cleveland. He'll be replaced by Roberto Perez, who gets his third start of the month. 

Royals catcher Salvador Perez hit a solo home run in Friday's win over Toronto. 

Perez homered for the second straight game and the 15th time this season. He went 2 for 4 with two runs scored. He has four RBI in the last three games.

Perez also extended his hitting streak to six straight games. 

Royals catcher Salvador Perez had one hit on Thursday, but it was good for his 14th home run of the season. Perez went 1 for 4 in the 8-3 win over the Rays, as he drilled a two-run blast in the sixth inning.

Perez has homered three times over his last 10 games, but he's batting just .200 with eight strikeouts compared to one walk over that stretch.

Since it was unlikely Royals catcher Salvador Perez was going to catch both games of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Rays after Monday's game was rained out, manager Ned Yost made the decision to rest his starting catcher during the first game of the doubleheader.

Drew Butera, who also started Sunday for Kansas City, was behind the plate for the doubleheader opener.

Perez has started behind the plate in 71 of the Royals' 80 games. Unfortunately, Perez has been mired in an offensive slump for a few weeks, batting .164 in his last 16 games.

Tigers catcher James McCann is not in the starting lineup for Monday's game. McCann has started 49 games and five of the last seven. 

Replacing McCann behind the plate is Alex Avila, who started at first the last two games. Avila will get his 22nd start at catcher this season. 

Tigers catcher James McCann drew back-to-back starts Saturday and Sunday against the Blue Jays after Alex Avila started in his first game off the disabled list Friday. Avila started at first base the last two games after Miguel Cabrera went on the disabled list.

McCann went 1 for 4 with a triple, one RBI and one strikeout Saturday before going 2 for 3 with one run, one RBI and one walk Sunday. 

He has now hit safely in five straight games, batting .476 (10 for 21) with one double, one triple, two home runs, five RBI, five runs, one walk and three strikeouts.

A knee injury and the struggle to find his stroke has pretty much cost Indians catcher Yan Gomes half a season. But he's finally showing signs of life.

Gomes is batting .333 (7-for-21) in his last five games to end a 4-for-37 slide. PITCHf/x reports that he has slammed seven balls with exit velocities of at least 100 mph since June 16 after managing zero before the injury that knocked him out for six weeks. He is simply trying to grind his way through it.

"This game is so frustrating and so hard," Gomes told MLB.com. "And the more and more I think about looking at the board and seeing if I'm getting there, or if I'm going to get talks from you guys where I'm struggling or something, it's just some stuff that I can't even worry about.

"It comes down to good at-bats or hard outs or bloopers - whatever. It's going to work out the way it's supposed to work out. From my career, I know I'm a good hitter. I know things are going to turn out."

Gomes added that he's feeling better at the plate.

"You've just got to take it and know it's a good sign," he said. "I'm seeing the ball well."

The American League starters for the 2015 All-Star Game on July 14 were announced Sunday. The Royals will send four starters to the Summer Classic, with Salvador Perez, Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon leading the votes in their respective positions.

Angels outfielder Mike Trout will make his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance. He received the most votes of any outfielder and the second most on the AL roster.

Catcher: Salvador Perez, Royals
First baseman: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers (injured)
Second baseman: Jose Altuve, Astros
Third baseman: Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays (top AL vote-getter)
Shortstop: Alcides Escobar, Royals
Outfield: Mike Trout, Angels
Outfield: Lorenzo Cain, Royals
Outfield: Alex Gordon, Royals
Designated Hitter: Nelson Cruz , Mariners

Rays catcher Curt Casali picked up two RBIs, doubling his season total, without the use of a hit in Tampa Bay's win over the Yankees on Sunday. 

Casali went 1-for-2 on the day to raise his average to .280, but it was his second-innng sacrifice fly and eighth-inning bases loaded walk that lifted his RBI total to three on the season. 

The young catcher has been a find since cracking Tampa Bay's lineup, registering at least one hit in four of his last five starts.