MLB Player News

Hedges (concussion) is expected to return from the 7-day disabled list Sunday.

While the move won't be made official until Sunday, Hedges' return will be a boon to the Padres' lineup. Fellow catcher Luis Torrens is a Rule 5 pick, so his roster spot will likely be safe upon Hedges' return. Hedges has popped 13 home runs in 243 at-bats this season and should resume regular catching duties upon his return.

Realmuto went 3-for-4 with a walk, a double, a solo home run and a second run scored in Friday's 7-4 win over the Reds.

He's now set a new career high with 12 homers, and Realmuto is hitting a robust .385 (15-for-39) since the All-Star break with three home runs and eight RBI in 10 games. The 26-year-old catcher may not hit double-digit steals again in 2017, but he's otherwise proving he hasn't yet reached his fantasy ceiling.

Rupp went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs Friday against the Braves.

Rupp crushed his 10th homer of the campaign and he's been on a major streak as of late, as he's left the yard five times over his past eight starts. However, the fact that his playing time is sporadic makes it difficult to use him outside of NL-only formats as well as leagues that require two starting catchers.

D'Arnaud is not in the lineup Friday against the Mariners, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

D'Arnaud will get Friday night off after catching Thursday's contest and going 0-for-4 on the evening. Rene Rivera will pick up a start behind the dish in his stead.

Grandal is not in the lineup Friday against the Giants, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Grandal started the past three games behind the dish, so he'll head to the bench for a night off. Austin Barnes will replace him for the evening, batting sixth.

Hedges (concussion) will catch five innings in an Arizona Rookie League game Saturday, Bill Center of MLB.com reports.

Hedges cleared all concussion tests a while back, but lingering effects of the foul ball that hit him in the catcher's mask stuck around to keep him on the shelf longer. It seems like he's nearing a return, however, and if all goes well Saturday, he could slot back into the Padres' lineup for Sunday's series finale.

Sanchez is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Mets.

Sanchez will take a seat for the second consecutive game while Luis Torrens makes another start behind the plate. Although Sanchez has been hitting the ball well since the All-Star break, manager Andy Green elected to give Torrens another opportunity after hitting a three-RBI triple during Wednesday's victory.

Mesoraco is not in the lineup Thursday against Miami, MLB.com's Mark Sheldon reports.

Mesoraco heads to the bench after playing the past three days, while Tucker Barnhart draws another start behind the plate. Since returning from the DL (back) on July 19, Mesoraco is 2-for-17 with three walks and six strikeouts.

Realmuto went 3-for-6 with a two-run homer, three RBI and three runs during Wednesday's win over the Rangers.

Realmuto is turning in another strong fantasy campaign with a .307/.367/.484 slash line, 11 homers, 42 RBI and 44 runs. He's started 81 games, so his workload is another fantasy boost and has helped him climb the catcher ranks. Realmuto should be viewed as a high-end backstop moving forward.

Rupp hit a pair of solo homers over four at-bats in Wednesday's 9-0 win over Houston.

He's been providing plenty of thunder when given the chance lately -- over his last seven starts, Rupp has gone 9-for-23 (.391) with four homers, three doubles, eight RBI and six runs. Unfortunately, that production has been spread out over more than two weeks; Rupp's limited playing time means that even this outburst only makes him ownable in NL-only and two-catcher formats.