MLB Player News
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Adley Rutschman C | BAL
Orioles' Adley Rutschman: Out through All-Star break
Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino said Sunday that Rutschman's left oblique strain is considered mild, but the catcher is still expected to remain on the 10-day injured list through the All-Star break, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.
Rutschman was held out of the lineup for the first two games of this weekend's series versus the Yankees due to what was initially described as abdominal tightness, but he was placed on the IL on Saturday when an MRI confirmed an oblique strain. Even though the backstop's injury is seemingly a Grade 1 strain, the Orioles won't rush him back early and will give him at least four weeks to recover. Gary Sanchez is expected to serve as Baltimore's primary backstop while Rutschman is on the shelf.
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Cal Raleigh C | SEA
Mariners' Cal Raleigh: Slugs 30th homer
Raleigh went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Saturday's 10-7 loss to the Cubs.
Raleigh's impressive power surge continued Saturday with a ninth-inning blast, his 30th home run of the season. The catcher has been outstanding, slashing .272/.377/.649 with 44 extra-base hits and 64 RBI through just 74 games, and Raleigh became the first switch hitter in major-league history with 30 long balls before the All-Star break. While Aaron Judge remains the clear favorite for American League MVP, Raleigh has emerged as a strong contender thanks to his elite offensive production and standout defense.
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Logan O'Hoppe C | LAA
Angels' Logan O'Hoppe: Ends power drought
O'Hoppe went 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in Saturday's 9-1 win over the Astros.
O'Hoppe sat both Thursday and Friday, and it appears that two-game stint on the bench helped him reset. The catcher hadn't posted a multi-hit effort in June prior to Saturday, and he hadn't hit a homer since May 22 versus the Athletics. He's now at a .233/.268/.462 slash line with 16 homers, 35 RBI, 24 runs scored, three doubles and no stolen bases over 63 contests. O'Hoppe is likely to maintain at least half of the playing time behind the dish, though his recent slump has allowed more opportunities for Travis d'Arnaud to check in.
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Shea Langeliers C | ATH
Athletics' Shea Langeliers: Progressing in recovery
Langeliers (oblique) participated in batting practice Saturday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Langeliers landed on the 10-day injured list in early June due to a left oblique strain, but he has progressed enough in his recovery to resume swinging a bat. Whether Langeliers will need to embark on a rehab assignment will largely depend on how his oblique reacts to increased work. He was slashing .237/.300/.430 with four steals, 10 doubles, 10 home runs and 27 RBI in 230 plate appearances prior to his injury.
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J.C. Escarra C | NYY
Yankees' J.C. Escarra: Big day against O's
Escarra went 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and three RBI in Saturday's 9-0 win over the Orioles.
The 30-year-old rookie popped his second career homer in the second inning, hooking a Zach Eflin sweeper down the right-field line into the short porch at Yankee Stadium. Escarra continues to be used sparingly behind starter Austin Wells, and Saturday's RBI were his first since May 25, while the runs were his first since May 9.
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Jonah Heim C | TEX
Rangers' Jonah Heim: Taking seat Saturday
Heim is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Pirates.
Heim made back-to-back starts behind the dish and will get a breather Saturday. In his place, Kyle Higashioka will catch and bat ninth.
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Maverick Handley C | BAL
Orioles' Maverick Handley: Called up after Rutschman injury
The Orioles recalled Handley from Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday.
Handley will replace Adley Rutschman (oblique) on the active roster as Rutschman goes on the 10-day injured list. Handley has appeared in 15 MLB games this season but has gone just 3-for-40 (.075) with a 37 percent K rate. He'll serve as Gary Sanchez's backup while Rutschman is out.
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Adley Rutschman C | BAL
Orioles' Adley Rutschman: On IL with oblique strain
The Orioles placed Rutschman on the 10-day injured list Saturday due to a strained left oblique.
The Orioles kept Rutschman on the bench for Friday and Saturday's games while he tended to what the team labeled as left abdominal soreness. However, an MRI revealed that Rutschman is dealing with a strained oblique, so he'll now hit the IL for an indefinite period of time. Maverick Handley was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move, though Gary Sanchez should handle most of the catching duties while Rutschman is sidelined.
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Carlos Narvaez C | BOS
Red Sox's Carlos Narvaez: Sitting Saturday
Narvaez is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Giants, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Narvaez will yield to Connor Wong behind the plate Saturday. They've each handled catchers' duties three times in the last six games. Before that, Narvaez drew the start in eight of nine games. Still, Narvaez should have a hold on the top catching spot considering he boasts a .795 OPS compared to Wong's .411 OPS.
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Kyle Teel C | CHW
White Sox's Kyle Teel: On bench Saturday
Teel isn't part of the starting nine for Saturday's game against the Blue Jays.
Teel and Edgar Quero have alternated starts behind the plate since June 11, and Saturday's contest happens to be Quero's turn to catch. Teel is slashing .241/.378/.276 across 37 plate appearances this season.