MLB Player News

Murphy (hip) is expected to report to Triple-A Gwinnett to begin a rehab assignment Friday, Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The veteran backstop has been building up in simulated games in the lower minors and has now been cleared for game action. Murphy was sidelined for all of spring training while recovering from offseason hip surgery, so his rehab assignment is likely to be lengthy before he's cleared for his 2026 MLB debut.

Bailey isn't in the lineup Tuesday versus Philadelphia.

Bailey went 1-for-4 in the series opener against the Phillies on Monday, but he will get a chance to rest Tuesday. In his place behind the plate, Daniel Susac will start and bat eighth.

Hernandez went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Monday's 2-0 loss to the Reds.

The 26-year-old outfielder is struggling to find his 2025 form so far in 2026, going just 3-for-27 (.111) through nine games with a triple, two runs, four RBI and a 4:6 BB:K. For now, Hernandez remains a fixture in the Marlins' lineup in left field against left-handed pitching while still getting occasional starts against righties, but his path to consistent playing time will get a lot narrower once Kyle Stowers (hamstring) is healthy.

Herrera has served as the personal catcher for Michael McGreevy and Andre Pallante and is expected to continue doing so at least through the end of April, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

The goal in having Herrera attached to two specific starters allows the Cardinals to simplify his game-planning duties and also ease his catching burden following offseason elbow surgery and a spring training knee issue. Additionally, with Herrera catching the team's two best groundball pitchers, it frees up the designated-hitter spot for Nolan Gorman and third base for a better defender in Ramon Urias. The Cardinals have been pleased with Herrera's work at catcher so far, as well as the health of his knee. If those things continue trending in a positive direction, Herrera will eventually take on additional catching responsibilities. If McGreevy and Pallante remain on the same schedule, Herrera should reach 10 games at catcher on April 24, which is the in-season eligibility threshold on most fantasy platforms.

Baldwin went 2-for-4 with a solo home run Monday in a loss to the Angels.

Baldwin gave Atlanta a quick lead with a solo homer in the first inning. He added a single to finish as the only Atlanta player with multiple hits in the loss. Baldwin has followed up his Rookie of the Year 2025 campaign with a blistering start to 2026, slashing .318/.388/.682 through 49 plate appearances. His five long balls and 13 RBI are each tied for the top mark in MLB.

Stephenson went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Monday's win over the Marlins.

Stephenson provided key insurance with a solo homer in the eighth inning, extending Cincinnati's lead late. It was the catcher's second home run of the season and third RBI. After opening the year hitless in his first four games, the 29-year-old has begun to turn things around slightly with hits in three of his last four contests. Still, Stephenson is slashing just .167/.200/.417 through 25 plate appearances, making him a frustrating early-season option for fantasy managers.

Rushing went 4-for-4 with a two solo home runs and an additional run scored in Monday's win over the Blue Jays.

It was the first career multi-homer game out of Rushing, who also racked up a career-high four knocks Monday. The backstop is off to a ridiculous start in limited action, having gone 6-for-9 with three long balls in his first three appearances, but his pathway to steady reps is blocked by Will Smith at catcher. Rushing remains likely to mostly fill in behind the dish on occasions when Smith needs a breather.

Ruiz is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cardinals.

Ruiz and Drew Millas have split time behind the dish evenly through the Nationals' first five games, with both catchers drawing five starts apiece. Though Ruiz has been the better producer thus far, he's still holding down a modest .222/.211/.444 slash line through his first 19 plate appearances. He may need to raise his performance before taking on a larger share of the catching duties.

Smith is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Blue Jays.

Smith will hit the bench for a second straight game, with Dalton Rushing working behind home plate and batting eighth. The decision to hold Smith out is a deliberate one, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noting Monday that he wants Smith to be the catcher for Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani for Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Smith has gone 8-for-29 (.276 average) with two home runs and five RBI to open the season.

Hicks is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Reds.

Hicks has gotten off to a sizzling start to the season with a 1.164 OPS over 29 plate appearances, but the Marlins will shield the left-handed batter from southpaw Brandon Williamson in Monday's series opener. At least until the Marlins return the likes of Christopher Morel (oblique) and Kyle Stowers (hamstring) from the injured list, Hicks should have a clear path to regular at-bats versus right-handed pitching while making starts at catcher, first base or designated hitter.