MLB Player News

The Royals reinstated Gallagher (personal) from the restricted list Monday.

Gallagher was one of 10 Royals players who will rejoin the 26-man active roster after being ineligible to play during the four-game weekend series in Toronto due his vaccination status. He closed the Royals' first-half schedule with a .243/.300/.378 slash line to go with five RBI and one run across 42 plate appearances. Gallagher should settle back in as a lightly used No. 2 catcher behind MJ Melendez (personal), who was also reinstated from the restricted list Monday.

Raleigh went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in a 6-2 win over the Rangers on Sunday.

Raleigh has found the power stroke in 2022, going deep 13 times over the first half of the season. The total ranks him third amongst catchers, behind only Will Smith and Willson Contreras. Raleigh's .469 SLG is the redeeming factor in a slash line which otherwise includes a .206 AVG and .286 OBP.

The Royals returned Fermin to Triple-A Omaha following Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Blue Jays.

Since Fermin joined the Royals as a replacement for one of the 10 players who were placed on the restricted list prior to Thursday's series opener in Toronto, he won't be exposed to waivers even while he comes off the 40-man roster as he heads back to Omaha. Fermin started behind the plate in the last two games of the series with the Blue Jays, going 0-for-7 with a run scored.

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

Huff hadn't been receiving much playing time of late as one of three catchers on the active roster and as a reserve first baseman/designated hitter, so the Rangers will send him back to Triple-A to see regular at-bats. Utility man Nick Solak was summoned from Round Rock to replace Huff on the active roster.

Sanchez will start at catcher and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the White Sox, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.

Sanchez had been starting to lose out on work at designated hitter to begin the past week, but top backstop Ryan Jeffers' (thumb) move to the injured list Friday should pave the way for Sanchez to see steady work behind the dish. He'll be making his third consecutive start at catcher after going 2-for-7 with a walk and a run over the past two contests.

Murphy, who went 2-for-4 in a loss to the Astros on Saturday, is now carrying a .360/.393/.540 slash line across 56 plate appearances in 13 July games.

The hot-hitting backstop's torrid stretch includes six doubles, a home run, six RBI, two walks and seven runs. Murphy has a quartet of multi-hit efforts as well during the current month, and he's managed to reach safely in all but one game.

Heim will sit Sunday against the Mariners.

Heim will get a breather after he went 3-for-12 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored in the first three games of the series. Meibrys Viloria is starting at catcher and batting ninth in the final game before the All-Star break.

Haase is starting at catcher and batting fourth in Sunday's game against the Guardians.

Haase will be starting behind the plate for the second straight day, and it looks like he's overtaken Tucker Barnhart as the Tigers' primary catcher. Haase certainly offers more power potential, as he has seven home runs and a .433 slugging percentage across 57 games, while Barnhart has no home runs and a .243 slugging percentage across 59 games.

Trevino is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale versus the Red Sox.

Trevino will get a day off after he went 1-for-5 in Saturday's victory over the Red Sox. Kyle Higashioka will take over behind the plate and bat ninth in the Yankees' final contest before the All-Star break.

Maldonado went 1-for-3 with the third grand slam of his career Saturday in the Astros' 5-0 win over the Athletics.

The veteran catcher's second-inning long ball with the bases loaded proved to be the decisive play Saturday, as right-hander Justin Verlander (six shutout innings) and the Houston bullpen kept the Oakland bats quiet throughout the night. Maldonaodo is now up to nine home runs of the season, putting him within striking distance of the career-high 14 he slugged in 2017 with the Angels.