MLB Player News

Kirk is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays.

Kirk will get a breather for the matinee game after catching both of the first two contests of the series while going hitless across seven at-bats. Reese McGuire will replace Kirk behind the plate.

Maldonado went 1-for-2 with two walks, a solo home run and a second run scored in Tuesday's 10-5 win over the Angels.

Maldonado showed off his power stroke once again against the Angels, homering in the first two games of the series. Houston's catcher is on a modest roll, hitting in four straight games while going 5-for-13 with two home runs and four RBI.

Moreno (thumb) will be activated from the 7-day injured list and promoted to Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, Gregor Chisholm of the Toronto Star reports.

Moreno has been rehabbing in the Florida Complex League in recent weeks after being sidelined since late June with a thumb fracture. With his rehab assignment set to end, the backstop will also be receiving his first promotion to Triple-A after slashing an impressive .373/.441/.651 to begin the campaign with Double-A New Hampshire. A strong start with Buffalo could go a long way in boosting Moreno's case for an early-2022 big-league call-up.

Gallagher (knee) was activated from the 10-day injured list prior to Tuesday's game against Cleveland.

Gallagher moved to the injured list Sept. 5 with left knee inflammation, but he was able to begin a rehab stint with Triple-A Omaha over the weekend. He went 2-for-7 with one RBI and two runs scored across two games. With Sebastian Rivero being optioned to open up a spot on the 28-man roster, Gallagher will serve as Salvador Perez's lone backup during the final 11 games of the season.

Garver (back) is starting at catcher and batting ninth in his return from the injured list Tuesday against the Cubs.

Garver was activated from the 10-day injured list earlier Tuesday and now the backstop is officially penciled in for his first big-league action since Aug. 24. He resumes his campaign with a .242/.352/.527 slash line, 13 homers and 29 RBI across 61 games.

Heim is not starting Tuesday against the Yankees.

The backstop has just three hits in 29 at-bats since returning from the COVID-19 list Sept. 3. Jose Trevino draws the start at catcher and will bat eighth Tuesday.

Perez is not starting Tuesday against Kansas City.

Perez will sit for the second time in three games after going 1-for-2 in Game 2 of Monday's doubleheader. Austin Hedges will catch Cal Quantrill and bat eighth.

Sanchez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Monday's 4-3 win over Texas.

Sanchez helped New York build an early lead in the contest, slamming a solo homer to left field in the second inning. The long ball was his first since Sept. 9, and he has just four hits overall in 22 at-bats since that date. Despite an underwhelming campaign overall, Sanchez's .211/.315/.438 slash line and 26.1 strikeout rate are both marked improvements over his career-worst numbers last year.

Rutschman hit .314/.411/.525 with four homers, 16 RBI, 19 runs and 19:24 BB:K across 33 games for Triple-A Norfolk after being promoted in August.

The minor-league season is now over, and it was a strong one for the 2019 draft's No. 1 pick. His composite line for the season: .283/.398/.513 with 22 homers and a 74:81 BBB:K. At this point, there's no doubt that Rutschman is ready for the majors, with his power and plate discipline putting him in strong position to make an instant impact. The only question is whether he'll break camp with the O's next year or get held back for some more Triple-A action in an attempt to manipulate his service time -- although that may become a moot point depending on what happens in baseball's ongoing collective-bargaining negotiations. Either way, there's not much standing in front of Rutschman's ascendance.

Rortvedt was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.

Rortvedt had served as extra catching depth since late August while Mitch Garver was out with a back injury. He went 6-for-19 with a homer in his latest stint with the team. With Garver now healthy, he's no longer needed, so he'll head back to the minors.