MLB Player News
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Kyle Higashioka C | TEX
Padres' Kyle Higashioka: Getting Sunday off
Higashioka isn't in the Padres' lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.
After hitting a two-run home run en route to a win Saturday, Higashioka will take a seat for Sunday's series finale while Brett Sullivan gets the nod behind home plate.
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Jacob Stallings C | BAL
Rockies' Jacob Stallings: Sitting down Sunday
Stallings isn't in the Rockies' lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.
Stallings will take a seat for Sunday's series finale after going 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk during Saturday's win. Hunter Goodman will take over behind the dish, causing Brendan Rodgers to move into the DH spot while Alan Trejo starts at second base, batting ninth.
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Pedro Pages C | STL
Cardinals' Pedro Pages: Stepping in as top backstop
Pages will start at catcher and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Giants.
Pages had already worked his way into a regular role behind the plate versus left-handed pitching while Ivan Herrera served as St. Louis' designated hitter in those matchups, but Pages will stick in the lineup against a right-hander (Logan Webb) on Sunday for the fourth straight contest. With Herrera going on the injured list Saturday with lower-back tightness, Pages will serve as the Cardinals' No. 1 backstop, but his reign atop the depth chart could be short-lived. Willson Contreras (forearm) made his fifth rehab appearance Saturday with Triple-A Memphis and could be ready to return from the 10-day IL and reclaim the No. 1 role for St. Louis as soon as Monday versus Atlanta.
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Kyle Higashioka C | TEX
Padres' Kyle Higashioka: Knocks homer Saturday
Higashioka went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 6-4 win against the Brewers.
Higashioka delivered what turned out to be a key long ball in the seventh inning, belting a two-run blast to left field. It was the catcher's fifth homer through 12 games in June after he went deep just once over 17 contests prior to the start of the month. The hot stretch has helped Higashioka earn more playing time, and he's slated to take over primary catching duties for San Diego for at least 10 days due to Luis Campusano (thumb) landing on the injured list Saturday.
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Austin Wynns C | ATH
Reds' Austin Wynns: Pushed off 40-man
The Reds designated Wynns for assignment Sunday.
Just two days after having his contract selected from Louisville, Wynns will once again lose his spot on the 40-man roster without appearing in a game for the Reds. With a .726 OPS in the minors, it's possible he receives some attention on the waiver wire, but his .597 career OPS in the majors makes it likely he gets sent outright to Louisville. Livan Soto was recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move.
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Tyler Stephenson C | CIN
Reds' Tyler Stephenson: Back in lineup Sunday
Stephenson (undisclosed) is starting at catcher and batting fifth Sunday against the Red Sox.
Stephenson missed two consecutive starts due to an undisclosed injury, though he was able to appear as a pinch hitter during Saturday's loss. He'll now return to his usual place behind the dish and look to turn things around after recording just two hits in his last 10 games.
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Tucker Barnhart C | TEX
Diamondbacks' Tucker Barnhart: Sitting Sunday
Barnhart is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against Philadelphia.
Barnhart came in for Gabriel Moreno (thumb) in the bottom of the sixth inning in Friday's contest. Barnhart started at catcher Saturday, going 1-for-3 with an RBI in a 12-1 loss, and he will serve as Arizona's primary catcher with Moreno on the injured list. Jose Herrera will start behind home plate Sunday and bat ninth against Phillies southpaw Cristopher Sanchez.
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Luke Maile C | KC
Reds' Luke Maile: Makes second straight start
Maile started at catcher and went 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Red Sox.
Maile, who has eight steals over 414 career games in MLB, has showed off his "wheels" of late. He's stolen two bases over his last three starts. In between, he scored from second base on a sacrifice-suicide squeeze bunt Friday night. Maile started a second straight game behind the dish while Tyler Stephenson copes with an undisclosed injury. Stephenson eventually entered Saturday's game as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning, which suggests Maile's run as the primary backstop could end in the coming days.