MLB Player News

Royals catcher Salvador Perez has started off his season with a modest two-game hitting streak as he singled Wednesday in Chicago. 

The Kansas City backstop has gone 1 for 4 in each game and is batting .250 to this point with two singles. The Royals have scored just two runs in two games against the White Sox. 

The 22-year-old Perez hit .379 this spring with two homers and 12 RBI over 58 at-bats. He homered 11 times over 289 at-bats last year through 76 games. 

Yankees catcher Chris Stewart will get his first start behind the plate Wednesday against the Red Sox and Clay Buchholz, the club announced.

Manager Joe Girardi said he expects to use an "even split" with Stewart and opening day catcher Francisco Cervelli. Expect the Yankees to stick with the even split unless one gains the hot hand as May approaches.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi chose to start Francisco Cervelli behind the plate on opening day against the Red Sox. Giradi added, however, he expects an "even split" with Chris Stewart at catcher and will use the first month of the season to evaluate the position. 

Stewart appeared in 17 games at catcher this spring, which was second most on the team at the position behind Bobby Wilson's 19 appearances. Stewart hit .239 (11 for 46) with one homer, two doubles and six RBI.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez was part of an offensive explosion in his teams' 9-9 tie Wednesday night, hitting his first home run of the season -- one of four home runs for the Royals in the game. Perez also added a single in his five at-bats to raise his spring line to .377/.375/.528. Perez checks in with the rarely-seen phenomenon of an OBP lower than his batting average by virtue of having just one walk this spring while adding two sacrifice flies.

The Indians optioned Yan Gomes and Cord Phelps to Triple-A Columbus on Monday.

The Blue Jays have optioned catcher Josh Thole to Triple-A Buffalo Sunday. Thole was once believed to have been the favorite for the backup position in order to serve as R.A. Dickey's personal catcher this season. He produced a mediocre .171/.237/.286 slash line this spring.

The Indians expect catcher Yan Gomes to return to game action by the weekend, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports. Gomes has been nursing a hamstring injury and hasn't played since March 15. The 25-year-old is hitting .385/.448/.692 with five doubles and a home run in 14 spring training games.

The Astros announced Sunday they reassigned Sergio Escalona, C.J. Fick, Che-Hsuan Lin, Carlos Perez, Josh Zeid, Paul Clemens, Robbie Grossman, Dallas Keuchel, Jimmy Paredes and Jonathan Villar to minor-league camp.

Indians catcher/first baseman Yan Gomes will be sidelined for three to four days with a right-hamstring injury, The Plain Dealer reported Saturday. Gomes suffered the injury Friday. Gomes is 10 for 26 (.385) with a homer and six RBI in 14 Cactus League games. 

Indians catcher/infielder Yan Gomes was forced out of Friday's Cactus League contest against the Brewers with tightness and cramping in his right hamstring. Gomes, who is fighting for a roster spot, is batting .333 with a home run and six RBI in 13 spring training games this year.