MLB Player News

The Reds expect Stephenson (hand) to return Friday against the Orioles, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Stephenson is hitting .231/.338/.415 with three homers and 10 RBI, but his Statcast metrics (20.4% barrel rate, 93.4 mph average exit velocity) suggest better results could be forthcoming. Moreover, Stephenson has been considerably better than his backup Luke Maile, who is hitting just .163/.250/.256 so far on the season.

Smith went 1-for-5 with a solo home run Wednesday in an 8-0 win over Arizona.

Smith hit one of two homers in the game for Los Angeles, taking Jordan Montgomery deep to left field for a fifth-inning solo shot. The All-Star catcher went deep just once over his first 23 games of the season but has picked up the power since, swatting three long balls over his past five contests. Smith has complemented his four homers on the campaign with a .355/.395/.555 slash line, 24 RBI and 18 runs over 124 plate appearances.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 4-1 loss to the Tigers.

Contreras also struck out three times Wednesday for the third consecutive game. He'll likely be happy to put the Tigers in the rear-view mirror after going 1-for-13 with nine strikeouts during the three-game series in Detroit. That poor stretch has dropped Contreras to a .258/.373/.505 slash line on the year, and he's added five homers, 10 RBI, 14 runs scored, eight doubles and a stolen base through 110 plate appearances. Contreras has caught four of the Cardinals' last six games, so it appears he's managing his lingering soreness from a left hand injury fairly well.

Nido is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Cubs.

Nido will get a breather for Thursday's afternoon game after he caught all nine innings of Wednesday's 1-0 loss. Omar Narvaez will handle catching duties in the series finale.

Amaya is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Mets.

Amaya looks to be getting a breather for the day game after he caught all nine innings of Wednesday's 1-0 win while going 0-for-2 with a walk. Yan Gomes will get the nod behind the plate Thursday.

Diaz is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Marlins.

He'll get a well-deserved breather Thursday after starting at catcher or designated hitter in each of the Rockies' last nine games. Jacob Stallings will replace Diaz behind the dish.

Grandal (foot) served as the designated hitter Tuesday and as the catcher Wednesday during a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis, MLB.com reports.

Grandal's ability to play in back-to-back games was the original benchmark the Pirates set for his return from the injured list. However, the team has since shifted its stance and has noted that he still has some progress to make prior to being activated. Grandal should be in Pittsburgh soon, but the exact timeline remains murky.

Murphy went 1-for-3 with a solo home run Wednesday in a loss to the Red Sox.

Murphy put the Giants on the board with a 407-foot solo blast in the third inning, but the team ended up scoring just once more in the contest. The long ball was the first of the season for the backstop, who has struggled to a paltry .100/.206/.233 slash line through 35 plate appearances. Murphy is firmly behind Patrick Bailey on San Francisco's catcher depth chart.

Moreno was scratched from the Diamondbacks' lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Dodgers, Jesse Friedman of GoPHNX.com reports.

Moreno underwent a dental procedure before Wednesday's game and was scratched as a precaution. Tucker Barnhart will fill in behind the plate and bat ninth, and Moreno should be able to return to the lineup Friday.

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

After going hitless in seven at-bats while starting behind the plate Monday and Tuesday, Ruiz will get a break Wednesday. Riley Adams will handle the catching duties for the Nationals.