MLB Player News

Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud took batting practice on Friday, for the first time since going on the disabled list, per ESPN. .

d'Arnaud has been on the 15-day disabled list since mid April with a hand injury., as he nears a return from the disabled list.

Assuming no setbacks, the plan is for d'Arnaud to begin a minor league rehab assignment next week. 

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco was not included in the starting lineup for Friday's contest against Cleveland.

Mesoraco has been limited to DH duties because of left hip impingement he suffered in early April. He has appeared in the last two games, and only four games since April 11. He has been taking part in catching drills recently and should be cleared to catch a bullpen session over the weekend.

Mesoraco is hitting .178 (8 for 45) with a double, a triple and two RBI this season.

Cincinnati is an underdog (+145) at Cleveland, per VegasInsider.com.

Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal is on an interesting run. He has gotten at least one hit in every other game since May 8 and is hitless in the others.

The bottom line is a 7-for-28 stretch that has lowered his batting average from .307 to a still-strong .287. Grandal has been among the pleasant surprises for the Dodgers with a fine .402 on-base percentage. He has 20 walks in 101 at-bats.

With catcher Christian Bethancourt having a poor start to the season, the Braves inquired about Brewers starting catcher Jonathan Lucroy, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman. However, the Braves were told he was unavailable.

Bethancourt began the season as the Braves starting catcher, but he was quickly replaced by veteran A.J. Pierzynski after he struggled at and behind the plate.

Braves catcher Christian Bethancourt went 3 for 4 with two doubles, one RBI and two runs scored in his team's 10-1 win over the Brewers on Wednesday.

Bethancourt isn't known for his offense, but he helped key a seven-run seventh inning that decided the outcome of the game. He had managed just nine hits on the season before coming through with the big performance on Wednesday. The catcher has hit .190/.215/.286 with five RBI in 63 at-bats.

Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski and left fielder Todd Cunningham are getting a rest and are being held out of the lineup on Thursday against the Brewers. 

Pierzynski had been behind the plate each of the last four games, but has struggled with the bat. He's hitting .185 (5 for 27) over his last seven games. He'll cede Thursday's start to rookie Christian Bethancourt.

Cunningham has been on a tear since being called up last week. In his first five games this season, the 26-year-old rookie is 9 for 19 with a pair of doubles. Nevertheless, he'll sit on Thursday with Jonny Gomes making the start in left while batting fifth.

The Brewers held catcher Juan Centeno out of Thursday's game at Atlanta and will start Martin Maldonado instead, the team announced.

"He's caught a lot more than he's used to but I don't think he's wearing down," manager Craig Counsell said, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "He's had some bad luck, almost on a nightly basis but he hasn't swung the bat the way he's capable of."

Maldonado was also held out of Sunday's game in order to rest. He is hitting .149 in 94 at-bats this season, while Centeno is batting .077 in 13 at-bats. Centeno will bat seventh and face Julio Teheran, who he has never faced.

The Brewers are the underdogs (+120) at Atlanta on Thursday

Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz is being held out of the starting lineup for Thursday's afternoon game against Rockies. Ruiz has started each of the last three games, but will take a rest with a day game following a night game.

Cameron Rupp will get the start behind the plate for manager Ryne Sandberg on Thursday

With Mets starting catcher Travis d'Arnaud getting closer to returning from the disabled list, the Mets' front office is going to have a decision to make about fellow young backstop Kevin Plawecki. 

Plawecki has been receiving the bulk of the playing time behind the plate since d'Arnaud was placed on the disabled list after suffering a broken finger on April 19. He's performed admirably in his first stint as a Major League catcher. He's batting just .217 with two homers so far, but his work on defense and with the Mets' pitching staff has gotten the attention of his skipper, according to the New York Post.

“He’s done great, he has played very well,” manager Terry Collins said before Wednesday night’s game. “He’s caught the ball very well, he’s blocked the ball very well, he’s actually thrown better. He threw out (speedy Marlins second baseman) Dee Gordon, and that’s a big assignment for anybody."

But with d'Arnaud nearing a rehab assignment, a decision is going to have to be made whether or not to send Plawecki back down to Triple-A when the time comes.

“That is going to be a tough call,” Collins said. “When Travis comes back, you are looking at two guys who both should be playing. That’s hard to do when both have to be out there.”

Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli left Tuesday's game against Minnesota after taking a foul ball off the mask, per the Post Gazette. 

Cervelli was replaced by Chris Stewart behind the plate to start the sixth inning.