MLB Player News

Contreras will start in left field and bat cleanup Friday against the Pirates.

Friday's start in the No. 4 spot will be the ninth for Contreras, and it will be his ninth start in left field as well. The 24-year-old is now batting a ridiculous .319/.397/.623 through 78 plate appearances, doing similar damage against both handedness of pitcher. It seems he's firmly locked into the heart of the Cubs' order.

D'Arnaud is not in the lineup Friday against the Nationals.

Rene Rivera will catch for starer Noah Syndergaard as d'Arnaud sits for the second time in three games. D'Arnaud hit his first two home runs of the season this week, giving him 14 hits in 44 at-bats since his return from the DL (.318 average). He remains the primary backstop in New York but he's among the biggest injury risks in baseball.

d'Arnaud went 1-for-5 with a solo homer Thursday against the Nationals.

d'Arnaud's second homer of the year came in the fourth inning to pull the Mets within two runs in a game they'd eventually win. He's now blasted homers in two of his last three games, and he's slashing .256/.309/.356 in 92 at-bats on the season.

Rupp is starting behind the dish and batting fifth against Colorado on Thursday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Rupp sat Wednesday's contest with Carlos Ruiz getting the start behind the plate but is back in the lineup against Jeremy Hellickson and the Rockies on Thursday. Rupp has collected hits in 10 of his last 11 games, slashing .349/.404/.721 during that time.

Stephenson (wrist) has begun a rehab assignment in the Arizona Rookie League, RedsMinorLeagues.com reports.

Stephenson's development time has stalled because of the wrist injury, but the good news is that they expected him to take awhile, given that he was drafted from high school. The bad news for him is that the Reds drafted another catcher early this year in Chris Okey, who was taken in the second round, and Okey has already been promoted to Low-A Dayton, where Stephenson was playing prior to the injury.

Barnhart went 1-for-4 with a three-run blast in Wednesday's 5-3 victory over the Cubs.

Barnhart's homer off Trevor Cahill in the seventh, his third home run of the season, not only put Cincinnati back ahead but continued his personal hot stretch. In 14 games since June 18, the switch-hitting catcher is batting .348 (16-for-46) with eight RBI. On the current road trip, he is 8-for-20.

Stewart (knee) had an MRI done Wednesday which revealed "wear and tear" that could potentially require surgery, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

Stewart was placed on 15-day DL Monday with hopes of returning shortly after the All-Star break. While his MRI revealed that his knee may require surgery, Stewart remains optimistic he can play through the injury. He had struggled in his five games prior to being placed on the DL, going just 2-for-15 from the plate. Expect an update when the club decides how to handle the situation.

Contreras will catch Saturday's game against the Pirates, Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago reports.

David Ross was placed on the 7-day disabled list due to a concussion Wednesday, so Contreras will move back behind the plate Saturday to catch for Jon Lester. Contreras has been moved around the diamond since coming up to the Cubs, making 11 starts behind the plate to go with seven appearances in left field and two appearances at first base. Not only has Contreras' versatility been valuable thus far, but he's been tremendous at the plate as well. He's slashing .300/.391/.617 with five home runs in his first 60 big league at-bats.

Stallings cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

It appears no teams were interested in picking up the 26-year-old who has struggled at both the Triple-A and major league levels this season, hitting .202 and .125 at those stops, respectively. Stallings will head back to Indianapolis to try to get back on track and serve as catching depth for the Pirates' organization.

Hedges remains hot at Triple-A El Paso, earning him his second straight Pacific Coast League Player of the Week honors.

Over his past 10 games with El Paso, Hedges is hitting .425 with seven home runs and 21 RBI. The 23-year-old, who has always been known as a defensive-first catcher, is starting to look very comfortable at the plate. On the season in just 137 at-bats, Hedges is hitting a healthy .385 with 14 home runs and 41 RBI. Another positive sign in his numbers is his low strikeout rate (14.2%). In dynasty leagues, owners may have given up on Hedges as he struggled in his short stint with the Padres last season, so this might be the last chance to buy low. With the Padres considering trading Derek Norris at the trade deadline, Hedges could be catching in San Diego sooner rather than later.