MLB Player News
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Austin Wells C | NYY
Yankees' Austin Wells: Receiving Sunday off
Wells is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta.
Wells went 1-for-8 with an RBI and a run while starting the first two games of the series and will take a seat for Sunday's finale. Ben Rice will instead do the catching for Marcus Stroman and bat seventh.
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Victor Caratini C | MIN
Astros' Victor Caratini: Three hits, steal in loss
Caratini went 3-for-4 with two walks, one RBI and one stolen base in Saturday's 7-6 extra-innings loss to the Mariners.
Caratini has hit safely in eight straight games, going 11-for-31 (.355) in that span. The steal was his first since the 2023 campaign -- he was caught stealing on his only attempt in 2024. The catcher has hit his way into the lineup on a regular basis, playing either behind the dish or at designated hitter while sharing both positions with fellow backstop Yainer Diaz. Caratini is up to a .265/.316/.439 slash line with 10 home runs, 33 RBI, 24 runs scored and nine doubles through 247 plate appearances. He's always had a decent bat for a catcher, but the 31-year-old is on pace for career highs in nearly every counting stat this year if he can continue to see steady playing time.
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Shea Langeliers C | ATH
Athletics' Shea Langeliers: On fire to begin second half
Langeliers went 2-for-5 with a home run, a double, two total runs and three total RBI in an 8-2 victory versus the Guardians on Saturday.
Langeliers contributed an RBI double in the fourth inning and a two-run homer in the eighth. In two games since the All-Star break, the talented young catcher has gone 5-for-9 with two homers, two doubles, four runs and five RBI. Langeliers is up to 14 long balls on the campaign, tied for fifth most among big-league backstops.
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Tyler Heineman C | TOR
Blue Jays' Tyler Heineman: Goes yard Saturday
Heineman went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and three RBI in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Giants.
The backup catcher took Ryan Walker deep in the eighth inning for a two-run shot, providing the Blue Jays with some insurance. It was Heineman's third homer of the season and first since June 7, and while the 34-year-old has cooled down significantly in recent weeks, he's still slashing .341/.396/.518 in 85 plate appearances on the season with 16 RBI and 19 runs -- both career highs.
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Rafael Flores C | PIT
Yankees' Rafael Flores: Moves up to Triple-A
The Yankees promoted Flores from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday.
Flores has shined with Somerset this season, slashing .287/.346/.496 with 15 homers, 56 RBI and six stolen bases over 370 plate appearances. The 24-year-old's 25.4 percent strikeout rate isn't great, but he's managed to bat a healthy .283 in the minors since the start of 2024. Flores' eventual path to the majors could be as a right-handed bat to complement the left-handed Austin Wells at catcher.
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Samuel Basallo C | BAL
Orioles' Samuel Basallo: Sidelined due to oblique injury
Basallo is dealing with an injury to his oblique and will be out of action with Triple-A Norfolk for at least the weekend, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Basallo is the Orioles' top prospect and arguably the top catching prospect in all of baseball. It's not yet clear how severe the oblique issue is, but it's serious enough to sideline the rising star for at least the weekend. Basallo has a .264/.383/.591 slash line with 19 homers and 48 RBI through 62 games with Norfolk this season.
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Danny Jansen C | TEX
Rays' Danny Jansen: Resting legs Saturday
Jansen isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game versus Baltimore, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Jansen will get a breather Saturday after going 1-for-2 with a home run, two runs scored and two walks in Friday's blowout victory. Matt Thaiss will start at catcher instead and bat ninth.
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Logan O'Hoppe C | LAA
Angels' Logan O'Hoppe: Getting breather Saturday
O'Hoppe is not starting Saturday's game against Philadelphia, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
O'Hoppe started behind the plate Friday in the Angels' first game of the second half and went 2-for-4 with a triple. However, he's stepping aside Saturday while Travis d'Arnaud gets a turn at catcher.
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Alejandro Kirk C | TOR
Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk: Idle Saturday
Kirk isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Giants.
Kirk will get a day off Saturday after going 2-for-4 while scoring a run in Friday's series opener. Tyler Heineman will catch instead for starter Eric Lauer and bat ninth.