MLB Player News

Realmuto went 1-for-4 with an RBI and run in Tuesday's win against the Diamondbacks.

Realmuto batted leadoff for the first time in his career, filling in for the suspended Dee Gordon. Manager Don Mattingly's lineup experiment paid off when the catcher doubled and scored in the first inning. Realmuto is batting .485 during an eight-game hitting streak. With most catchers these days hitting at the bottom of lineups and being limited in at-bats, Realmuto's value should skyrocket if he captures the leadoff role for good.

Diaz (elbow) underwent elbow debridement surgery this week and is expected to miss seven-to-nine weeks, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

The young catching prospect has been battling elbow issues since late in spring training, and while it looked for a while like he might have been able to avoid surgery with just rest and rehab, the Pirates opted to go the surgical route this week. Fortunately, the procedure he underwent was a debridement rather than Tommy John, so the club is optimistic that Diaz will be able to return in early July.

Plawecki is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Braves.

Plawecki will be held out in favor of Rene Rivera with the Mets playing a day game following a night game. A day off could do Plawecki some good, as he tallied only three hits over his last six starts and is hitting just .176 on the season.

Barnhart is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Giants, Jamie Ramsey of the Reds' front office reports.

Barnhart started the last five games behind the plate, but he will get the day off Wednesday with the Reds and Giants playing a day game following a night game. Ramon Cabrera will get the start Wednesday in Barnhart's place.

Rupp said work he did on his swing path this offseason has been paying off for him at the plate, Joe Harris of MLB.com reports.

Rupp said he made an alteration to his swing, "working more down towards the ball." He is hitting .250/.274/.417 with a home run in 60 at-bats while splitting time behind the plate with Carlos Ruiz. He has benefited from a .359 BABIP thus far and his strikeout rate has jumped nearly 10 points compared to last season, so Rupp's average may be headed downward despite the improvements to his swing.

D'Arnaud (shoulder) will not likely come off the disabled list when he's first eligible to return, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

All d'Arnaud has done since going on the disabled list is rest and receive treatment on his shoulder, so he seems to be a ways away from returning to the field considering he hasn't even progressed to baseball activities yet. A timetable for his return should become clearer once he is able to begin throwing and using his shoulder for baseball activities. Kevin Plawecki should see most of the starts while d'Arnaud is on the shelf.

Maldonado went 1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI in Sunday's game against the Angels.

All of Maldonado's hit, run, and RBI were his first on the season. He is just 1-for-18 (.056), but his opportunities have been limited, with him starting only five games and appearing in just seven in all. His playing time will remain limited as long as fellow catcher Jonathan Lucroy is healthy and part of the squad.

The Reds have placed Mesoraco (shoulder) on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 28.

Handed a diagnosis of a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Mesoraco is almost certainly poised to miss more than the 15-day minimum. As he embarks upon his recovery process, Tucker Barnhart will man the backstop most days, while Jordan Pacheco and call-up Ramon Cabrera provide depth options.

Diaz (elbow) will undergo surgery on his right elbow this week, although the Pirates are confident that there is no UCL damage, Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Fortunately for Diaz, it seems that he'll be able to avoid Tommy John surgery, but elbow surgery still will keep him on the shelf for some time. This really hurts the Pirates catching depth for this season, as they are fairly thin beyond Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart. A timetable for Diaz's return is currently unknown, but more details should surface after the surgery is complete.

Mesoraco (shoulder) had an MRI, but the Reds are still trying to determine the best course of action for his injury, John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Regardless of whether he lands on the disabled list, it's reasonable to think that Mesoraco's workload will be monitored carefully in the short term. Tucker Barnhart is picking up the extra start behind the plate Monday night.