MLB Player News

Maldonado isn't starting Saturday's game against Oakland, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Maldonado will miss a second straight contest, although it's not clear whether his absence is related to his sore shoulder that forced him out of Wednesday's game against the Rays. Jason Castro will start at catcher and bat eighth.

Gomes isn't starting Saturday's game against the Astros, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Gomes started each of the last three games and went 1-for-10 with a run, a walk and four strikeouts. Sean Murphy will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Hedges went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Friday's 9-6 win over Texas.

The catcher got Cleveland on the board with his third-inning solo shot. Hedges has gone yard twice in his last six games, and he's up to 10 long balls on the year. He's added a .180/.219/.311 slash line with 31 RBI, 32 runs scored and a stolen base in 308 plate appearances. The 29-year-old has split time with Roberto Perez fairly evenly since mid-September.

Mejia went 2-for-3 with a walk in a win over the Yankees on Friday and now has three multi-hit efforts in his last five starts.

The reserve backstop is hitting a sensational .438 (7-for-16) with two doubles, three RBI, three walks and three runs over that span, boosting his season slash line to a serviceable .256/.317/.415 across 272 plate appearances. Mejia has arguably been everything the Rays could have hoped for in a backup catcher when they acquired him in the Blake Snell trade with San Diego in December, as the 25-year-old has shown flashes of the offensive prowess he displayed at multiple minor-league stops in the Padres organization.

Trevino went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's 9-6 loss to Cleveland.

Trevino launched his fifth homer of the season in the ninth inning. He began the season as Texas' starting catcher but eventually ceded the spot to Jonah Heim.

Stassi isn't starting Friday against the Mariners.

Stassi went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts Thursday and will head back to the bench as he continues to alternate starts behind the dish. Kurt Suzuki will start at catcher and bat cleanup.

Perez will sit Friday against the Rangers.

Perez and Austin Hedges have alternated starts behind the plate for the last eight games. Hedges will catch Eli Morgan on Friday, but Perez should return to the lineup Saturday if the pattern continues.

Maldonado will sit Friday against Oakland, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Maldonado left Wednesday's game against the Rays with a sore shoulder but started Thursday's contest. It's unclear if his absence Friday is injury-related or if he's simply been rewarded with a day off alongside several teammates after the Astros clinched the division title Thursday.

Sanchez will sit Friday against the Rays.

Sanchez hasn't started behind the plate for three straight games, though he did serve as the designated hitter Thursday, going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts. Kyle Higashioka remains the starting catcher Friday.

Garver will sit Friday against the Royals.

The Twins have no reason to push Garver in the final few games of the season, so he'll hit the bench here for the second time in three games. Ryan Jeffers takes over behind the plate.