MLB Player News

Rortvedt went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 8-7 loss against the Marlins.

The sixth-inning blast was his first with the Yankees. This was Rortvedt's first start in four games, though he had started five of the previous seven contests. Rortvedt has an opportunity to continue to push Kyle Higashioka for playing time, especially if Rortvedt shows he can provide some offensive punch.

Perez (thumb) took a full game's worth of plate appearances as the designated hitter in Triple-A Las Vegas' loss to the River Cats on Saturday, going 2-for-4 with an RBI single, a walk and two runs.

It's the latest step in what's been a productive rehab assignment for Perez thus far. The veteran's next benchmark is likely to log at least seven innings on defense, as he was able to put in five frames behind the dish Thursday. If Perez manages the feat in his next contest with the Aviators, he may be deemed ready for activation.

The Rangers optioned Huff to Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday.

With the return of Jonah Heim (wrist) from the injured list Sunday, Huff will be pushed off the Rangers' active roster. The 25-year-old backstop went 7-for-26 (.269) with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored during his latest stint in the majors, though he likely won't return to Texas again this season barring an injury to one of the Rangers' three active catchers.

The Rangers activated Heim (wrist) from the 10-day injured list Sunday.

Heim landed on the injured list July 28 with a strained left wrist tendon and will now reclaim his spot as the Rangers' primary catcher. Heim came out of the All-Star break slashing .270/.333/.514 with two homers and 11 RBI across 42 plate appearances before getting injured. His activation will force fellow backstop Sam Huff off the active roster and back to Triple-A Round Rock.

Grandal isn't in the White Sox's lineup Sunday against the Brewers.

After going 0-for-7 across the first two games of the series, Grandal will take a seat for Sunday's finale. Carlos Perez will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Thaiss isn't in the Angels' lineup Sunday against Houston, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Thaiss is just 3-for-23 with a homer and two RBI since the start of August, so he'll get a day off Sunday to regroup. Chad Wallach will fill in behind the plate and bat ninth.

Jansen (hand) is starting at catcher and batting seventh Sunday against the Cubs, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Jansen missed two games as a result of a bruised right hand, but he'll return for the conclusion of Toronto's weekend series with the Cubs. The 28-year-old backstop is just 3-for-23 with a homer and three RBI since the start of August.

Langeliers isn't in Oakland's lineup Sunday against Washington.

Langeliers will catch a breather Sunday after going 2-for-6 with a walk during the first two games of the series. Tyler Soderstrom will start behind the plate, and Brent Rooker will serve as the DH while Langeliers rests.

Garver went 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored in Saturday's 9-3 win over the Giants.

Garver's RBI single in the fourth inning put the Rangers ahead 2-1, and he knocked in another pair of singles with another single in the ninth. Across his 13 games since Jonah Heim (wrist) went on the injured list, Garver has hit .348 (16-for-46) with three home runs and 10 RBI. He's up to a .282/.356/.487 slash line with eight homers, 30 RBI, 21 runs scored and eight doubles across 46 contests this season.

Higashioka is catching and batting ninth for the Yankees on Saturday against Miami, marking the third straight game that he has started behind the plate.

Early in the week it appeared that Higashioka had fallen behind Ben Rortvedt on the depth chart after sitting four times in a span of six games, but that trend has since reversed with the former logging three straight starts at catcher. Higashioka may have helped his case the last time he began a contest on the bench, as he came on as a pinch hitter Aug. 8 against the White Sox and slugged a two-run homer. The veteran added three hits and a pair of RBI in Friday's win over the Marlins, so manager Aaron Boone may be riding the hot bat as the Yankees attempt to move into playoff position. While Higashioka hasn't been great this season with a .235/.274/.390 slash line, seven homers, 30 RBI and a 27.7 percent strikeout rate, Rortvedt is slashing a measly .107/.265/.143 with no homers and one RBI, though he does boast an impressive 17.6 percent walk rate.