MLB Player News
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Willson Contreras C | BOS
Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Pops homer Monday
Contreras went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a hit-by-pitch in Monday's 6-2 win over the Padres.
Contreras' first-inning blast gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead, which was enough support for Kyle Gibson. It's been a bit of a slow start to the year for Contreras -- he's 2-for-14 with two walks, five strikeouts and two runs scored over four contests. Facing the Dodgers' formidable pitching staff in the first series likely played a role in that, so he should be expected to hit just fine over a larger sample.
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Riley Adams C | WAS
Nationals' Riley Adams: Clubs first homer of 2024
Adams went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Monday's loss to the Pirates.
Getting his first start of the season while Keibert Ruiz slotted in as the DH, Adams tied the game at 3-3 in the seventh inning by launching a Roansy Contreras fastball over the fence in left-center field. The 27-year-old posted a useful .273/.331/.476 slash line over 158 plate appearances in 2023 with four homers and 21 RBI, and while his playing time will be limited again behind Ruiz, Adams has a bit more upside than a typical end-game catcher in a NL-only format.
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Gary Sanchez C | MIL
Brewers' Gary Sanchez: Sitting out third straight
Sanchez is absent from the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Twins.
Sanchez started at designated hitter against a left-hander on Opening Day, but he's now been on the bench for each of the next three games versus righties. It's not a good sign for fantasy managers who rostered him as a second catcher. Rhys Hoskins is at DH on Tuesday, with Jake Bauers handling first base.
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Francisco Alvarez C | NYM
Mets' Francisco Alvarez: Hot start to season
Alvarez went 1-for-4 with a double in Monday's loss to the Tigers.
The 22-year-old has started all four games to begin the season, three behind the plate and one at DH, and he's banged out an extra-base hit in three straight, going 6-for-11 with two doubles, a homer, two RBI and three runs. Alvarez has been one of the few bright spots in the early going for the 0-4 Mets, and after slugging 25 home runs as a rookie over 123 games in 2023, he's looking to add more consistent production to his profile and boost his .209/.284/.437 slash line.
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Patrick Bailey C | SF
Giants' Patrick Bailey: Gets Monday off
Bailey isn't in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Dodgers, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Bailey has collected two hits in two of his first three games of the season, but he'll get a breather in the first game of the series against LA unless he's called upon to pinch hit. Tom Murphy draws the start behind the dish and will bat sixth in Bailey's place.
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Jeferson Quero C | MIL
Brewers' Jeferson Quero: Dealing with shoulder subluxation
Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said Monday that Quero has been diagnosed with a right shoulder subluxation, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Quero suffered the injury in Triple-A Nashville's first game of the season Friday while diving back into first base on a pickoff attempt. The Brewers are waiting for the inflammation in his shoulder to calm down before they reassess the catcher and develop a treatment plan.
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Nick Fortes C | TB
Marlins' Nick Fortes: On bench Monday
Fortes is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Angels, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
The Marlins have embraced a timeshare behind the plate so far this season, with Fortes making two starts to Christian Bethancourt's three. Fortes is off to an 0-for-6 start at the dish and will likely need to pick up the pace offensively if hopes to capture a larger share of the work at catcher.
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Tyler Stephenson C | CIN
Reds' Tyler Stephenson: On bench Monday
Stephenson is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Phillies.
Stephenson and Luke Maile have now made two starts apiece at catcher through the Reds' first two games, but the former still appears to be viewed as the team's No. 1 option behind the dish.
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Chadwick Tromp C | ATL
Braves' Chadwick Tromp: Could be Sale's personal catcher
Tromp got the start Sunday with Chris Sale on the mound for Atlanta, and he could wind up being the veteran southpaw's personal catcher while he's in the majors, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Sale was very complimentary of Tromp's work behind the plate after the game, in which he struck out seven batters and walked two over 5.1 innings. If Atlanta wants to keep 35-year-old Travis d'Arnaud from breaking down while Sean Murphy (oblique) is on the shelf, Tromp will likely start more than once even five days or so, but having a pitcher like Sale talk up his game-calling skills can only help his outlook for playing time. Whether he offers anything as a hitter is another question, though -- the 29-year-old backstop went 0-for-2 on Sunday, and he slashed .210/.336/.384 with 10 homers over 65 games for Triple-A Gwinnett in 2023.
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Tucker Barnhart C | TEX
Diamondbacks' Tucker Barnhart: Makes first start
Barnhart went 1-for-2 with a walk, a stolen base and one run in Sunday's 5-1 win over the Rockies.
Barnhart made his first start of the regular season, giving Gabriel Moreno a day off in the final game of the season-opening four-game set against Colorado. Moreno made 99 starts behind the plate in 2023 and should see a similar workload this season.