MLB Player News

Indians catcher Yan Gomes was held out of the lineup Sunday against the Rangers for a second straight game due to a stiff neck, per The Plain Dealer. Though, Gomes could be available to pinch-hit.

Indians catcher Yan Gomes has raised his average to .280, his highest point since April 16.

That achievement is courtesy of a hot streak that began just before the All-Star break. He is 19 for 45 since July 12 with 10 runs, five doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI. His average has risen 22 points during that stretch.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez got his team off on the right foot Friday night against Cleveland with a solo home run in the first inning to provide a 1-0 lead. He helped complete the victory with a single and run scored in the eighth.

Perez, who managed his first three-hit game since Independence Day, now boasts a solid .285/.326/.434 stat line.

Blue Jays catcher Josh Thole did not make an out in Wednesday's 6-4 win over the Red Sox. He went 2 for 2 with a ground rule RBI double and a run scored and walked twice.

Thole, who's hitting .282 with six RBI in 85 at-bats, will continue to start whenever knuckleballer R.A. Dickey pitches.

An afternoon game after a night game has Indians catcher Yan Gomes out of the Wednesday lineup in Minnesota. Roberto Perez is set to crouch behind the plate in his absence.

Gomes has been on a roll. He has 11 hits in his last 21 at-bats with two home runs and six RBI.

When Yan Gomes broke through as a relevant Fantasy contributor last season, he did so by walloping left-handers to the tune of a .327 batting average and .934 OPS. Now more than halfway through 2014, it's safe to say the pattern has continued.

Granted, he's just been hot in general, batting .318 (27 for 85) with a .944 OPS in his last 24 games, but for the season, he's batting .359 with a .944 OPS against lefties compared to .234 and .700 against righties.

In two-catcher leagues, that's not particularly useful information, but if you play in a one-catcher league and find yourself constantly swapping out catchers on the waiver wire because you don't have one of the no-brainer options like Buster Posey, Devin Mesoraco or Evan Gattis at the position, it's something to keep in mind. Whenever the Indians are facing a bunch of lefties, Gomes is a terrific choice.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez, who sat out with a groin injury Sunday, returned to Monday's lineup against the White Sox. Perez is hitting .282 with 11 homers and 37 RBI in 87 games.

Indians catcher Yan Gomes continued to be one of his team's most productive hitters Sunday as he was pretty much its entire offense in a loss in Detroit.

Gomes provided the first hit on a double in the fifth and the only run on a solo home run in the seventh. He has four taters in his last 10 games to give him 13 on the season.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez has been given Sunday off against Boston. He has been dealing with a groin injury, but expects to return to the lineup Monday. Brett Hayes is set to start instead.

Perez, who started for the American League in the All-Star Game, went hitless in four at-bats Saturday.

Indians catcher Yan Gomes put together a solid game Saturday, in a 6-2 win over the Tigers.

Gomes reached base three times and scored each time, as he went 3 for 4 with a double and a pair of singles. He improved his batting line to .269/.314/.442 with the performance.