MLB Player News
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Austin Wynns C | ATH
Reds' Austin Wynns: Homers again Wednesday
Wynns went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and two RBI in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Marlins.
The 34-year-old backstop isn't known for his bat -- Wynns came into the season with a career .609 OPS in 673 big-league plate appearances -- but he's gone yard in back-to-back starts while piling up an incredible nine hits and eight RBI between the two games. Tyler Stephenson (oblique) began a rehab assignment Tuesday and should return next week, but Wynns is trying to make the case that he should stick around over Jose Trevino as the Reds' No. 2 catcher. That's an uphill battle for Wynns given that Trevino inked a three-year, $15 million extension in March and himself is batting .308 this season.
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Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Nursing sore wrist
Smith is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs after sustaining a left wrist injury in Tuesday's 11-10 extra-inning loss, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Smith sustained the injury while tagging out Ian Happ at the plate in the sixth inning Tuesday, though the issue didn't stop him from hitting a double in his next at-bat in the top of the seventh and playing the final four frames behind the plate. The 30-year-old backstop apparently didn't experience any soreness until waking up Wednesday morning, but he isn't too concerned about his availability moving forward. Austin Barnes will draw the start at catcher Wednesday, but Smith expects to be ready to start Friday's series opener versus the Pirates following a team day off Thursday.
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Carson Kelly C | CHC
Cubs' Carson Kelly: Returns to lineup Wednesday
Kelly is starting at catcher and batting eighth in Wednesday's game against the Dodgers.
Kelly received a breather Tuesday but will return to the lineup Wednesday, sending Miguel Amaya to the bench. While Amaya has been effective with a .278 average and .798 OPS across 15 games, Kelly has been even better with a .371 average and 1.511 OPS in 13 appearances. As a result of the hot start, Kelly has seen his role grow, though Chicago will likely keep using both backstops fairly evenly.
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Gabriel Moreno C | ARI
Diamondbacks' Gabriel Moreno: Exiting starting nine
Moreno is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Rays.
It's a routine day off for Moreno, who is off to a poor .222/.323/.241 start at the plate this season. Jose Herrera is doing the catching and batting ninth for the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
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Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Sitting out Wednesday
Smith is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Cubs, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Smith homered and reached base three times in Tuesday's extra-innings loss to the Cubs, but he'll get a breather in Wednesday's series finale. Austin Barnes will do the catching and bat ninth for the Dodgers.
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Jacob Stallings C | BAL
Rockies' Jacob Stallings: Getting day off
Stallings is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Royals.
Stallings had started at catcher in four of the Rockies' last six games, with his surge in playing time coming shortly after Colorado placed Kris Bryant (back) on the injured list, which has allowed Hunter Goodman to see more starts at designated hitter. Goodman will be back behind the dish Wednesday, so Stallings will head to the bench while Nick Martini steps in as Colorado's DH.
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Liam Hicks C | MIA
Marlins' Liam Hicks: Losing work to Ramirez
Hicks will start at catcher and bat seventh in Wednesday's game against the Reds.
Though Hicks is back behind the dish for the series finale, his recent run as the Marlins' primary backstop seems to have come to an end after Miami promoted Agustin Ramirez from Triple-A Jacksonville on Monday. If Ramirez performs well enough to earn a permanent stay in Miami, Hicks -- a Rule 5 selection -- could end up being offered back to Tigers if the Marlins don't have a spot on the roster for him once Nick Fortes (oblique) returns from the injured list.
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Luis Torrens DH | NYM
Mets' Luis Torrens: On bench for day game
Torrens is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.
Torrens will take a seat for the day game after a night game, paving the way for Hayden Senger to pick up a start behind the dish. Though he's been operating as the Mets' primary backstop this season, Torrens' playing time will soon take a hit with Francisco Alvarez (hand) poised to return from the 10-day injured list this weekend.
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Martin Maldonado C | SD
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Poaching starts from Elias Diaz
Maldonado will start at catcher and bat ninth in Wednesday's game against the Tigers.
Maldonado will pick up his ninth start in 14 games and seems to have at least moved into a timeshare behind the plate with Elias Diaz. The two backstops have produced at a similar level offensively -- Maldonado owns a .572 OPS compared to Diaz's .592 mark -- but Maldonado is regarded as the superior pitch framer of the two. Unless Diaz picks up the pace at the plate to separate himself from Maldonado from a performance standpoint, the playing time could tilt in the latter's favor.
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Elias Diaz C | SD
Padres' Elias Diaz: Losing work to Maldonado
Diaz is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Tigers.
Diaz was responsible for the only scoring in Tuesday's 2-0 win when he popped a two-run home run in the second inning, but that has been one of the few highlights for the veteran backstop this season. He's hitting just .190/.306/.286 over 50 plate appearances, and Diaz's poor production has resulted in him moving into more of a timeshare with Martin Maldonado behind the plate. Maldonado will pick up the start Wednesday and has now been included in the lineup in nine of the Padres' last 14 games.