MLB Player News
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Drake Baldwin C | ATL
Braves' Drake Baldwin: Launches first career homer
Baldwin went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the Blue Jays.
Getting the start at DH and batting sixth while Sean Murphy handled duties behind the plate, Baldwin got hold of a Jeff Hoffman splitter and lofted it down the left-field line in the ninth inning for his first career long ball. Baldwin has started only two of nine games at catcher since Murphy came off the IL, but with Marcell Ozuna nursing a sore hip, there could be more opportunities for Baldwin to get into the lineup in the short term. The 24-year-old rookie is batting .216 (8-for-37) through his first 10 big-league games with two RBI and a 4:10 BB:K.
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Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Resting Wednesday
Smith is not in the Dodgers' starting lineup against the Rockies on Wednesday, Kirsten Watson of Spectrum SportsNet LA reports.
Smith will take a seat Wednesday while Austin Barnes starts behind home plate and bats ninth against Rockies right-hander German Marquez. Smith has gone 6-for-12 with one home run and five RBI over his last three games.
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Joey Bart C | PIT
Pirates' Joey Bart: Held out again Wednesday
Bart (back) remains out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals.
It's the fifth straight start Bart has missed due to lower-back soreness. Bart had been set to go through pregame testing Tuesday to determine his status, and while he has not yet been placed on the injured list, Bart clearly is not yet ready to play. Henry Davis will start at catcher and bat ninth Wednesday.
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Rafael Marchan C | PHI
Phillies' Rafael Marchan: Drawing fourth start of season
Marchan will start at catcher and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the Giants, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
After winning the backup catcher job coming out of spring training, Marchan has predictably seen sparse use over the first three weeks of the season while top backstop J.T. Realmuto has maintained good health. Marchan will pick up his fourth start of 2025 on Wednesday, with Realmuto getting a day off from catching and serving as the Phillies' designated hitter.
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Carson Kelly C | CHC
Cubs' Carson Kelly: Back in action Wednesday
Kelly (hand) will start at catcher and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the Padres.
Kelly didn't play the last two days after being struck on the left hand by a pitch Sunday versus the Dodgers, but he will do the catching in Wednesday's rubber match. The 30-year-old backstop boasts a ridiculous 1.636 OPS this season as he shares catching duties with Miguel Amaya.
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Martin Maldonado C | SD
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Heading to bench Wednesday
Maldonado is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs.
After submitting a lowly .404 OPS in 48 games with the White Sox before being released last July, Maldonado has enjoyed a relative resurgence in San Diego so far this season. The 38-year-old backstop continues to provide most of his value behind the plate, but he's held his own with the bat so far, slashing .250/.276/.357 over 29 plate appearances. As a result, Maldonado has moved into a timeshare at catcher with Elias Diaz, who will be back in the lineup Wednesday after hitting the bench in five of the past seven games. The playing time will likely tilt back in Diaz's favor eventually, but the distribution of starts could be relatively even while he and Maldonado are performing at a similar level offensively.
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Luis Torrens DH | NYM
Mets' Luis Torrens: Resting for day game
Torrens is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins.
Torrens will cede catching duties to Hayden Senger while the Mets wrap up their series in Minnesota with a day game after a night game. When healthy, Torrens has served as the Mets' No. 1 backstop this season and has produced an .825 OPS over 40 plate appearances, but he'll move into the backup role in the near future with Francisco Alvarez (hand) in the midst of a rehab assignment and closing in on a return from the 10-day injured list.
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Pedro Pages C | STL
Cardinals' Pedro Pages: Resting Wednesday
Pages is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Astros.
Pages will get a breather for the series finale after making starts at catcher Monday and Tuesday. Yohel Pozo will replace Pages behind the plate Wednesday.
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Francisco Alvarez C | NYM
Mets' Francisco Alvarez: Will be fine after HBP scare
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Wednesday that Alvarez is "fine" after having to exit Tuesday's rehab game with Double-A Binghamton following a hit-by-pitch on his surgically repaired left hand, SNY.tv reports.
Alvarez initially stayed in the game after being plunked but was eventually removed. However, he has evidently checked out fine and the incident shouldn't alter when he will be activated for his season debut, which will be soon. Alvarez had surgery back in early March on a fractured hamate bone in his left hand.
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Ivan Herrera C | STL
Cardinals' Ivan Herrera: Hopes to begin running this weekend
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Wednesday that the team is hopeful Herrera (knee) can begin a running and catching program this weekend, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Herrera has progressed to hitting in the batting cage and playing catch and could take another step forward in his rehab this weekend. If that happens, the club will have a better idea on a timetable for his return. When the Cardinals announced last week that Herrera had been diagnosed with a bone bruise in his left knee, he was estimated to be facing a four-week recovery timeline.