MLB Player News

Perez is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rangers.

Perez will hang out in the dugout for the matinee affair after starting each of the past four days and recording four hits (including two solo home runs) in 17 at-bats. Backup catcher Kevin Plawecki will replace Perez behind the dish.

Stubbs went 0-for-3 in Wednesday's loss to the Reds.

Stubbs made just his third start in the last 10 games and sixth overall. The catching prospect's first exposure to MLB was not expected to last long, and it may be coming to a close as early as this weekend after the injured Max Stassi (knee) caught nine innings on consecutive days Tuesday and Wednesday. Stubbs is 4-for-25 (.160) in eight games (six starts) since being called up in late May.

Stassi (knee) played a second straight day while on rehab at Double-A Corpus Christi on Wednesday, signaling an imminent return to the roster, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Stassi caught all nine innings in each game and could be activated as early as this weekend. His return would spell the end of Garrett Stubbs' first exposure to the major leagues.

McCann went 1-for-3 with a solo home run Wednesday against the Cubs.

McCann took Jon Lester deep in the fourth inning to record his seventh homer of the season. Prior to a home run Saturday against the Yankees, McCann had gone 27 games without a long ball, but he now has three in his last four contests. Though prospect Zack Collins was called up Tuesday, McCann is likely to keep the majority of the work behind the dish in the immediate future due to Collins' deficiencies defensively. McCann is now hitting .330/.385/.52 across 195 plate appearances for the season.

Sanchez went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, four RBI and two runs scored overall in Wednesday's 12-1 win over the Rays.

Sanchez hit a three-run homer in the first inning to help chase Rays starter Blake Snell, and he also added an RBI double in the seventh. The 26-year-old is slashing .266/.336/.532 with 21 home runs in 54 games this season.

Garver is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Red Sox.

Garver will head to the bench for Wednesday's series finale after playing all 17 innings during Tuesday's 4-3 win, going 1-for-7 with a double and a walk in the process. Jason Castro is starting behind the dish in this one.

Vazquez is on the bench Wednesday against the Twins, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Vazquez and Sandy Leon have alternated starts behind the plate over the last six games. Leon gets the call Wednesday.

Maldonado is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mariners, Joel Goldberg of FOX Sports Kansas City reports.

Maldonado sits for just the second time in the last 10 games. Cam Gallagher will take over behind the plate.

D'Arnaud went 2-for-5 with an RBI double in a loss to the Yankees on Tuesday.

The veteran backstop hit out of the top of the order for the first time this season and enjoyed a successful night at the plate overall. It's been a very productive month of June for d'Arnaud after a very slow start to his Rays tenure, as Tuesday's multi-hit effort was his fourth of the month and pushed his average since the calendar flipped to an impressive .355.

Manager AJ Hinch told MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM on Tuesday that Stassi (knee) would shift his rehab assignment from Triple-A Round Rock to Double-A Corpus Christi.

Stassi drew two starts at catcher for Round Rock last Thursday and Sunday, working nine innings behind the plate and going 2-for-4 with a home run and a walk in the latter contest. Hinch suggested Stassi would require "a few more games" in the minors before rejoining the Astros, so the 28-year-old may be in line for an activation from the 10-day injured list early next week rather than during the upcoming weekend.