MLB Player News

Grandal went 3-for-4 with his fourth double of the season and a run scored in Sunday's 5-3 win over the Phillies.

Grandal has mostly gone downhill after his two-homer game on Opening Day, but Sunday's performance marked his first three-hit game of the season and helped him raise his average to .225. The 28-year-old's 30-homer power makes him a top-10 fantasy catcher, but unless they hold him in OBP leagues, his owners also will have to put up with prolonged slumps and a low average. His fantasy owners are hoping his three-hit Sunday will spark him going forward.

Rupp went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Dodgers.

It was Rupp's first three-hit game of the season and helped him raise his season slash line to .222/.328/.407. Rupp has decent power (16 homers in 105 games last year) but won't help fantasy owners out with a high average or decent on-base percentage. While he's Philly's main catching option, he's only worth owning in two-catcher mixed and deep NL-only leagues.

Sanchez hit a game-tying, pinch-hit, two-run home run in the ninth inning in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Giants.

Sanchez tied the score at two with his clutch dinger off Giants closer Mark Melancon in the ninth. The home run was just his second hit of the season, however, and he'll remain the backup to Austin Hedges. The switch-hitter doesn't have much fantasy value at all while his playing time is inconsistent.

Mesoraco is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.

Mesoraco is on a strict playing time schedule as he returns from injury, so it's no real surprise that he's getting Sunday's matinee off against the Cardinals. Tucker Barnhart will draw the start, but Mesoraco should be back in the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates.

D'Arnaud (back) is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.

With Noah Syndergaard on the bump, Rene Riverahis usual battery mate, will draw the start behind the plate. D'Arnaud, who has seven RBI in his past three games, is dealing with back tightness and is being considered day-to-day. With Sunday's day of rest, he'll hopefully be ready to go for Monday's contest against the Braves.

Realmuto is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates, Andre Fernandez of the Miami Herald reports.

After catching the past 11 games, it appears Realmuto is receiving a scheduled day of rest during Sunday's afternoon tilt. A.J. Ellis will draw the start in his absence. Expect Realmuto to be back in the lineup Monday against the Rays.

Murphy (forearm) underwent a CT scan Friday and could resume baseball activities Monday if the results are promising, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

The catching prospect has been out since mid-March due to a hairline fracture in his right forearm, but a little over a month of rest seems to have done the trick for the healing process. Murphy will likely need a decent number of rehab innings prior to his return due to how early in the spring the injury occurred, but this news seems to show that he's on track to return within the four-to-six-week timetable initially offered by team doctors.

Rupp is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Dodgers.

It's a regular day off for the veteran backstop and allows Andrew Knapp to get some playing time. Rupp is hitting just .180 this season, in addition to a .340 slugging percentage and 20 strikeouts.

D'Arnaud was hindered by some back tightness during Saturday's game, but will get Sunday's game off with Noah Syndergaard on the rubber, James Wagner of The New York Times reports.

The tightness was bad enough to warrant a mid-game meeting with trainers, but d'Arnaud stayed in throughout the entirety of the contest, going 0-for-3 with an RBI and a run. Consider him day-to-day heading into the off day.

Contreras is out of Saturday's lineup against the Red Sox.

Miguel Montero will get the start behind the dish and hit seventh with John Lackey on the mound for the Cubs. Contreras is hitting .254/.309/.413 with two home runs and a 29.4 percent strikeout rate through 63 at-bats.