MLB Player News

The Reds will be play another series in an American League ballpark next week when they take on the Royals in Kansas City. This will allow slugger Devin Mesoraco to be the designated hitter, as he continues to recover from a hip impingment. Mesoraco, who caught 109 games for the Reds in 2014, hasn't been behind the plate since April 12. 

Mesoraco is expected to test the hip by catching shortly after the series with the Royals, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman. While he is hoping to wait until after the season to have surgery, if the pain intensifies, he may opt to have the surgery mid-season. Heyman notes that the recovery time from this type of surgery is usually around four months, which would essentially end his season.

Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips returned to the starting lineup and is batting sixth, while catcher Devin Mesoraco remained sidelined Friday night against San Francisco, per MLB.com.

Phillips suffered a sore big toe on Tuesday after striking out three times. He is hitting .311 (37 for 119) with one home run, 15 RBI and a .345 on-base percentage this season.

"He's had the 48 hours of recovery time," Price said of Phillips. "He had a lot of treatment. He's been seen by a foot specialist and all those things. We don't force our players to play. We have to make sure that they’re comfortable being on the field. Most of them, if not all of them, are slightly banged up right now anyway. It's just part of the grind of a long season."

Mesoraco hasn't been in the starting lineup as a catcher since April 11. He plated the winning run as a pinch-hitter on Tuesday. He is hitting .143 (5 for 35) with two RBI this season.

Cincinnati is an underdog (+125) at home against the Giants, per VegasInsider.com.

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco expects to try and catch a bullpen session sometime next week, and the results could cause him to make a decision on whether to undergo surgery on his injured hip, MLB.com reports.

"That's kind of the time," Mesoraco said on Thursday. "We have to see if it's going to work out. It's been over a month [since catching]. If it's going to work, it's going to happen at that time. If it isn't, we'll know at that time. At this point, it's time to figure it out."

Mesoraco has functioned as a pinch-hitter and designated hitter (when possible) while dealing with a left hip impingement. He said he's felt better in recent days, but the catching attempt could lead to a final decision on possible surgery.

"I guess I'm optimistic I will be able to catch in a relatively close amount of time," Mesoraco said. "I haven't done any catching drills for 30-some days. At some point I'll probably have to get some practice, get back there and get some work in. But I think at this point I'm going to be able to catch, or I'm going to get the surgery. We're not going to keep pinch-hitting the whole year, I know that. We have these DH games, which will help. After that, if the catching goes well, which I am optimistic it will, then we'll catch. If it doesn't, then we'll make another decision."

Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp went 2 for 3 with a walk and his first double of the season on Wednesday but made his biggest impact defensively, throwing out would-be basestealers to end the second and third innings.

"I like a good challenge," Rupp said, per MLB.com. "You want guys to see what you can do. And when you throw them out and you make good throws, it makes you feel better. It kind of gives you a little adrenaline rush. But it's more than just me throwing the ball there. Aaron [Harang] gave me good pitches to throw on. Freddy [Galvis] made the tag."

Rupp has thrown out six of the 12 baserunners who have attempted to steal.

"He has a cannon for an arm," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He just has a quick release. And he's usually on target."

Rupp has yet to click in the batter's box, hitting .184/.262/.263 in 38 at-bats.

Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips and catcher Devin Mesoraco were both held out of the starting lineup Thursday night against San Francisco, per MLB.com.

Phillips suffered a sore big toe on Tuesday after striking out three times. He is hitting .311 (37 for 119) with one home run, 15 RBI and a .345 on-base percentage this season.

Mesoraco drove in the winning run on Tuesday, but has not been in the starting lineup as a catcher since April 11. He is hitting .143 (5 for 35) with two RBI this season.

Cincinnati is favored (-165) at home against the Giants.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen is not in Thursday's lineup against the Phillies. More than likely, this is just a day off for the veteran. 

After a cold start in April, McCutchen has seen his batting average rise as he's recorded hits in seven of his last eight games. 

Outfielder Gregory Polanco is back in the lineup and hitting first. First baseman Pedro Alvarez is hitting fifth. Third baseman Jung Ho Kang is hitting sixth and catcher Chris Stewart is batting ninth. 

The Braves have reportedly signed veteran catcher Wil Nieves  to a minor league contract, according to MLB.com. Nieves elected free agency after he was designated for assignment by the Padres earlier this month. He had one hit (a home run) in 13 at-bats before being let go.

Nieves will provide the Braves with catching depth. Currently, veteran A.J. Pierzynski and rookie Christian Bethancourt have been sharing time behind the plate for manager Fredi Gonzalez. The two have combined to hit .254 with three home runs so far, with Bethancourt really struggling offensively (he has just nine hits in 52 at-bats). 

After starting three straight games, and six of the last seven, Diamondbacks catcher Tuffy Gosewisch will get the day off on Wednesday against the Nationals. Jordan Pacheco will be the starting catcher and will bat seventh for manager Chip Hale.

Gosewisch has been hitting well this month, batting .370 with four doubles and seven RBI nine games in May. 

Catcher Yasmani Grandal was part of the run-scoring explosion on Tuesday, as the Dodgers routed the Marlins 11-1. Grandal chipped in a pair of singles, while driving in two and scoring two runs on the evening.

Grandal is red-hot at the plate right now, as he owns a ridiculous .500/.590/.900 batting line over his last 10 games, with three of his four home runs this season coming in that stretch. His season batting average is up to .309 as he continues to get regular playing time behind the plate. 

Devin Mesoraco delivered a pinch-hit, walk-off RBI double for the Reds on Tuesday and said afterwards that he expects to return behind the plate soon to catch, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. 

Mesoraco caught the team's first five games of the season before being limited to a pinch-hitting and designated-hitting role due to a hip issue.

"I haven't done it before," Mesoraco said of the walk-off hit. "I've had situations where I wish I could have done it. I'm just thankful I got a good pitch to hit and put a good swing on it."

Mesoraco is hitting .118 in 34 at-bats this season.