MLB Player News

Grandal (back) is starting behind the dish and hitting fifth Tuesday against the Diamondbacks.

As expected, Grandal is back in action after missing one game with a sore back. He is hitting .279/.311/.519 with eight home runs over his last 129 at-bats.

Rupp will start at catcher and bat eighth Tuesday against the Braves.

With Andrew Knapp (hand) landing on the 10-day disabled list earlier Tuesday, Rupp looks bound to handle primary catching duties for the Phillies until Knapp is cleared to return. Rupp will collect his fifth start in six games Tuesday after going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and RBI in Sunday's series finale against the Rockies.

Manager Dave Roberts said he expects Grandal (back) to start in Tuesday's series opener against the Diamondbacks, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Grandal ended up sitting out Sunday's win over the Mets after he was pulled early in the previous contest with back spasms. The day out of the lineup plus Monday's off day is expected to be all that Grandal needs to heal up, so if he's in fact included in the starting nine Tuesday, he should represent a safe fantasy option during the Dodgers' six-game week.

Barnhart will start at catcher and bat eighth Monday against the Padres, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Though Devin Mesoraco was able to return last week from a multi-game absence due to a knee injury, he left the team Monday to witness the birth of his child and was placed on the paternity list, meaning he could be unavailable for the next three games. That should allow Barnhart to enjoy another full slate of starts this week, which has been par for the course of late. Monday's game will mark the 10th time in 12 contests that Barnhart has been behind the dish.

Mesoraco was placed on the paternity list Monday.

This helps explain Mesoraco's absence from the lineup for a second straight contest. He'll be away from the team for a maximum of three days, so he should be back with the big club before Thursday's series finale. In the meantime, Tucker Barnhart will serve as the Reds' primary backstop, while pitcher Austin Brice was recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Mesoraco is not in the lineup Monday against the Padres.

The injury-riddled catcher will head to the bench for a second straight game in an attempt to keep him healthy for the rest of the season. Tucker Barnhart will again take over behind the dish for Mesoraco.

Sanchez (head) drew a walk in his only plate appearance as a pinch hitter Sunday against the Pirates.

Sanchez was forced out of Saturday's game after being hit in the mask by a foul ball, but the 27-year-old apparently isn't feeling any lingering effects. He'll continue to serve as the backup to Austin Hedges behind the plate.

Barnes took a foul ball off his throwing hand in Sunday's game against the Mets. However, X-rays came back negative, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Barnes stayed in the game and finished 1-for-4 with an RBI, but evidently the incident was serious enough to get his hand checked out after the game. The Dodgers' top catcher Yasmani Grandal is dealing with a minor back injury of his own, so hopefully Barnes isn't forced to miss time. Look for another update prior to Tuesday's series opener in Arizona.

Rupp went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI Sunday in Colorado.

Rupp's second double was the most important hit of the game, turning a 2-1 ninth-inning deficit into a 3-2 lead while saddling closer Greg Holland with his second loss. The catcher came into this one mired in an 0-13 slump over his previous four games, but Coors Field has been known to have curative effects on struggling hitters.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs Sunday against the Nationals.

Contreras took rookie Erick Fedde deep in the fourth and sixth innings, and now has five home runs in the past four games. The 25-year-old catcher has cemented his spot in the heart of Chicago's order, as Contreras' recent power surge has raised his line to an impressive .281/.349/.532.