MLB Player News

Kelly is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest against the Reds.

Kelly had started three of the previous four tilts but will get a breather for the series finale. It will be Miguel Amaya doing the catching and batting ninth for the Cubs.

Milias went 2-for-4 with a double, a two-run home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's rout of the Twins.

The switch-hitting backstop took Bailey Ober deep in the fifth inning for his first long ball of the season, a blast that put the Nationals in the lead for good in an eventual 15-2 win. Milias hasn't offered much offense so far while backing up Keibert Ruiz, slashing .172/.238/.276 through 64 plate appearances with five RBI and seven runs.

Stephenson is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs.

Stephenson appears to be receiving a routine breather after he started behind the plate in five of the Reds' previous six games. Jose Trevino will get the nod at catcher Wednesday.

Ruiz is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins.

After starting each of the last three games and going 2-for-10 with a double over that stretch, Ruiz will be rested Wednesday. The Nationals will go with Drew Millas behind the dish.

Susac (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento on Thursday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Susac has missed the last two weeks of action with right elbow neuritis, but he's upped his workouts recently and is ready to test things out in a game setting. The rookie catcher had worked his way into a timeshare with Patrick Bailey before getting injured, and with Bailey still struggling, Susac should play plenty once he's activated.

Fermin will start at catcher and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the Giants.

Though Luis Campusano boasts an OPS that's 447 points higher than Fermin's season mark of .511, the latter's defensive acumen appears to be enough to keep him atop the depth chart for now. Fermin will stick in the starting nine Wednesday for the fourth time in six games.

Campusano is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Giants.

The playing time at catcher appears to have tilted back in favor of Freddy Fermin, who will draw his fourth start in six games while Campusano is relegated to the bench. Fermin is regarded as the superior defender of the two, but Campusano has been far more productive at the dish with a .958 OPS in 58 plate appearances.

Mack went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Tuesday's loss to the Orioles.

A third-inning single by the rookie catcher brought home Kyle Stowers, giving Mack his first hit and RBI in MLB, and he added another knock in the eighth. The 23-year-old top prospect will get a long look in the starting role from the Marlins, with Liam Hicks -- who got the start at first base Tuesday before taking over behind the plate for the top of the ninth after Mack was lifted for a pinch runner -- seeing more of his playing time at 1B and DH as a result.

Smith is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's contest in Houston.

Smith started at catcher in the first two games of the series, so he will get some rest during Wednesday's matinee. Dalton Rushing will be behind the dish and bat seventh in the rubber match.

Hicks went 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in Tuesday's 9-7 loss to the Orioles.

Getting the start at first base before shifting behind the plate late in the game after rookie catcher Joe Mack was lifted for a pinch runner, Hicks continued his breakout campaign. His seventh-inning solo shot off Anthony Nunez was his eighth long ball of the season in just 33 contests, while the four hits tied his career high. Hicks will likely see most of his playing time at first base or DH while the Marlins take a long look at Mack, but his bat should be in the lineup nearly every day given his .321/.372/.575 slash line and 32 RBI, one back of MLB leader Matt Olson.