MLB Player News

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.

Realmuto went 2-for-4 with a solo home run during Sunday's win over Atlanta.

Now up to a .306/.366/.489 slash line with 13 homers, 45 RBI, five stolen bases and 50 runs, Realmuto is providing high-end numbers from the catcher position. Additionally, his hefty workload behind the plate makes him all the more valuable and helps both his fantasy floor and ceiling.

Grandal (back) is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Grandal was removed from Saturday's game with back spasms and will be held out Sunday in order to give the veteran backstop ample time to rest. The Dodgers have a scheduled off-day Monday before opening up a three-game set with the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. Grandal will remain day-to-day while Austin Barnes will fill in behind the plate in his stead, batting sixth.

Mesoraco is not in the lineup Sunday against the Cardinals, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.

The embattled catcher returned to action Saturday with a two-strikeout showing, but in an effort to keep him healthy for the remainder of the year, he'll head to the bench for a day off. Tucker Barnhart will slot behind the dish to give Mesoraco a breather Sunday.