MLB Player News
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Jonah Heim C | ATL
Rangers' Jonah Heim: Nearing dry swings
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday that Heim (wrist) could begin taking dry swings next week, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Heim was placed on the injured list last Friday because of a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist. It's only a partial tear, though, and the 28-year-old catcher expressed optimism after a visit with hand specialist Dr. Don Sheridan that he could delay surgery until the offseason -- or even avoid it altogether. If everything goes smoothly once he resumes baseball activities, Heim might be able to return to the Rangers before the end of August.
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Sam Huff C | BAL
Rangers' Sam Huff: Three hits in win
Huff started at catcher and went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored in Wednesday's 11-1 win over the White Sox.
Huff recorded hits in his first three plate appearances in what was his best game of the season. He's scuffled in multiple short stints in the majors this season, most recently going 1-for-11 over five games during his third tour. With Jonah Heim (wrist) landing on the injured list, Huff and Mitch Garver are splitting the catching chores. The Rangers have since added defensive specialist Austin Hedges, but according to Justice delos Santos and Kennedi Landry of MLB.com, the Garver/Huff duo will continue to get the bulk of playing time behind the plate, while Hedges gives manager Bruce Bochy roster and lineup flexibility until Heim returns.
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Shea Langeliers C | ATH
Athletics' Shea Langeliers: Homers for lone run in loss
Langeliers went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Wednesday's 10-1 loss to the Dodgers.
Langeliers' third-inning blast helped the Athletics avoid getting shut out, but that was the only bright spot in the contest. The catcher snapped his 16-game homer drought with the blast, his 11th of the season. He's maintained a .203/.268/.373 slash line with 36 RBI, 36 runs scored, a stolen base, 14 doubles and three triples over 92 contests in his first full major-league season.
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Cal Raleigh C | SEA
Mariners' Cal Raleigh: Homers again Wednesday
Raleigh went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Wednesday's 6-3 victory over the Red Sox.
Raleigh got Seattle's comeback effort started Wednesday with a two-run homer off John Schreiber in the sixth inning, cutting the deficit to 3-2. It's Raleigh's third home run in his last three games and his 17th of the year. The 26-year-old backstop has been swinging a hot bat of late -- he's now 12-for-37 (.324) with four long balls in his last 10 contests. Overall, Raleigh's now slashing .230/.308/.447 with 50 runs scored and 45 RBI across 354 plate appearances this season.
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Jake Rogers C | DET
Tigers' Jake Rogers: Blasts 13th home run
Rogers recorded a pinch-hit home run in Wednesday's win over the Pirates.
Rogers took a seat to begin the game, with Eric Haase getting the start behind the plate, but the former made an impact in his lone at-bat during the eighth inning. Rogers now has 13 home runs and a .748 OPS this season, compared to just three long balls and a .506 OPS for Haase. The superior offensive performance should keep Rogers in the lineup most days moving forward.
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Tyler Soderstrom C | ATH
Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Sitting Wednesday
Soderstrom is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers.
Soderstrom has a .467 OPS in his first 13 big-league contests and will head to the bench Wednesday after he started the previous three games. Shea Langeliers will work behind the plate while Brent Rooker serves as the designated hitter.
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Freddy Fermin C | SD
Royals' Freddy Fermin: Takes seat Wednesday
Fermin is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mets.
Fermin will head to the bench after he served as the Royals' starting catcher in four of the past five games. Salvador Perez, who started at first base and designated hitter in the last two contests, will move behind the plate Wednesday.
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Seby Zavala C | LAD
White Sox's Seby Zavala: Picking up more work
Zavala will start at catcher and bat ninth in Wednesday's game against the Rangers.
Zavala will be making his sixth start behind the plate in seven games, though Yasmani Grandal was simultaneously included in the lineup at first base for one of those contests. For the third game in a row, however, Grandal finds himself on the bench, so unless he's dealing with an unreported illness or injury, he appears to have ceded the No. 1 catcher's role to Zavala. Given that Zavala is getting on base at a .133 clip in 10 games since the All-Star break, he's not yet doing anything to run away with the job.
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Yasmani Grandal C | PIT
White Sox's Yasmani Grandal: On bench again Wednesday
Grandal is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Rangers.
Grandal hasn't drawn a start since Saturday, though he came off the bench Tuesday and there's no word of any new physical issue. Seby Zavala will catch again and bat ninth Wednesday versus Texas.