MLB Player News

Langeliers isn't in the Athletics' lineup Saturday versus the Rockies.

Langeliers will get a breather Saturday after going 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored during Friday's victory. Tyler Soderstrom will start behind the dish and Brent Rooker will serve as Oakland's designated hitter.

Maldonado isn't starting Saturday against the Rays, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports

Maldonado is 4-for-11 with a home run across his last four games, and he'll catch a breather Saturday. Yainer Diaz will take over behind the plate and bat eighth.

Rutschman is leading off for the first time in his career Saturday against the Yankees.

Gunnar Henderson will switch spots with Rutschman, moving to the two hole against righty Clarke Schmidt. Rutschman is tied for second with Jonah Heim for runs (49) at the catcher position and is tied with Danny Jansen for sixth among catchers with 46 RBI. Will Smith paces all catchers with 52 runs.

Rogers isn't in the Tigers' lineup Saturday against Miami.

After putting together a nine-game hitting streak, Rogers has gone 0-for-6 in his last two games and will get a breather Saturday. Eric Haase will take over behind the plate and bat ninth.

Murphy went 2-for-4 with a two-run double in a win over the Diamondbacks on Friday.

Murphy capped off the Mariners' big four-run first inning with his timely two-bagger that plated Teoscar Hernandez and Cal Raleigh. The veteran backstop seems to do nothing but produce whenever he's given an opportunity, and he's now hitting .304 with three doubles, two home runs, four RBI, a hit-by-pitch and five runs in the seven games he's played since the All-Star break.

Garver started at catcher and went 0-for-2 with a walk in Friday's 7-1 loss to the Padres.

Garver is set to amp up his catching appearances after Jonah Heim suffered a wrist injury during Wednesday's game. Heim is hoping to put off surgery until the offseason with 2-to-3 weeks of rest, but even if he can, Garver should see a steady uptick in plate appearances in the short term. He's served mostly as a designated hitter in 2023, but Garver maintains he's more productive when catching, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports. Evidence suggests he has a point. Garver has a career .856 OPS as a backstop and .673 as a DH. He and Sam Huff will share the role going forward, and the Rangers acquired Kevin Plawecki from San Diego on Friday and assigned him to Triple-A Round Rock.

Langeliers went 2-for-5 with a triple, a double, an RBI and two runs scored in Friday's win over the Rockies.

Langeliers did most of his damage in the second inning when he tripled in a run and then came around to score. He had been stuck in a 6-for-39 (.154) skid since his last multi-hit game July 5. The 25-year-old is slashing just .204/.266/.368 with 27 extra-base hits and 35 runs scored through 89 games.

The Padres traded Plawecki to the Rangers on Friday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Plawecki spent time with the Rangers last year and will return to the organization to provide minor-league depth at the catcher position. The journeyman had previously opted out of his contract with the Nationals in May before latching on with San Diego. He's batting .268/.341/.400 with four home runs in 57 games at the Triple-A level this season.

Texas placed Heim on the 10-day injured list Friday, retroactive to July 27, with a left wrist tendon strain.

Heim suffered the injury while taking an awkward-looking swing in Wednesday's series finale against the Astros. Season-ending surgery is on the table, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, but the backstop will attempt to avoid it with 2-3 weeks of rest and rehab. The 28-year-old has a .280/.337/.479 slash line with 14 home runs and 70 RBI through 90 games. Mitch Garver could handle most of the catching duties for the Rangers in Heim's absence, with Sam Huff also factoring into the mix.

Bethancourt is out of the lineup Friday at Houston.

Rene Pinto will start behind the plate and bat ninth versus the Astros and right-hander Cristian Javier. Bethancourt had started at catcher in the Rays' previous three games with Francisco Mejia (knee) on the IL.