MLB Player News

Diaz went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and a solo home run in Tuesday's 3-2 victory over the Brewers.

Diaz smacked a Freddy Peralta slider 453 feet to left field in the fourth inning, but his more critical knock came in the eighth, when he singled home Yonathan Daza to break a 2-2 tie. The 32-year-old catcher has a career .692 OPS, but he is slashing .330/.385/.500 to start the season.

Stephenson is out of the lineup Tuesday against the Padres.

Stephenson seems certain to get it going at some point, but he went 0-for-4 in Monday's series opener at San Diego and is batting just .265/.348/.324 with zero home runs through 29 games this season. Curt Casali is catching for the Reds on Tuesday and Henry Ramos is taking a turn in the designated hitter role.

Gomes (head) is not in the starting lineup Tuesday versus the Nationals.

Gomes took a backswing to the head early in Monday's series opener against Washington and was still being evaluated as of Tuesday afternoon. The good news is that he has not yet been placed on the injured list. Tucker Barnhart will catch and bat ninth Tuesday night against the Nats, and the Cubs have brought up Miguel Amaya to provide more depth behind the plate.

Smith went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional RBI in Monday's 13-4 rout of the Phillies.

Smith kicked off the scoring with a solo homer in the first inning, and he added an RBI single in the fourth. Since returning from a concussion Friday, the backstop has started four straight games, going 4-for-16 with two extra-base hits, four runs and three RBI over that span. Smith's eye at the plate has been extraordinarily keen this season, as he has struck out only five times while working eight walks over 67 plate appearances.

Amaya was recalled Tuesday from Double-A Tennessee, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Amaya will join the Cubs ahead of Tuesday's game against the Nationals after Yan Gomes took a backswing to the helmet Monday. A former top-ranked prospect, Amaya was sporting an impressive 1.070 OPS with four home runs through 13 games this season at the Double-A level. Gomes has yet to be placed on the injured list, so Amaya could be in store for a short stay in the majors.

D'Arnaud ran the bases Monday for the second time since landing on the 7-day injured list April 9, and he remains hopeful to be activated within the next week or so, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. "Yeah, they're wild," d'Arnaud said of concussions. "It's way different [than other injuries]. I've been getting asked the same thing [about when he's coming back]. I say, 'I don't know, I've gotta have no symptoms with anything, and then I can come back.'"

Though d'Arnaud is traveling with Atlanta and has been taking batting practice for more than a week in addition to the running work, as his comments imply, a decision on when he'll be activated isn't up to him. Atlanta isn't putting any official timeline on d'Arnaud's return, which won't happen until doctors determine he's symptom-free and able to compete at full exertion. The concussion that d'Arnaud sustained April 8 during a play at the plate is the fourth diagnosed brain injury of his career, though the first he's suffered since 2014. Once activated, d'Arnaud will be the top understudy to catcher Sean Murphy, though d'Arnaud should see at least a handful of starts per week as a designated hitter or when Murphy requires a day off behind the plate.

Murphy went 4-for-7 with two home runs, a walk, six RBI and three runs across both games of Monday's doubleheader against the Mets.

Murphy started behind the plate and was the offensive star in the matinee, driving in six of Atlanta's nine runs on a pair of three-run homers. In the nightcap, he served as the team's designated hitter and reached base three more times. Murphy's pair of long balls gives him eight on the campaign, tops among big-league backstops. He's already nearly halfway to the career-high 18 homers he drilled last season.

Gomes (head) has not been placed in concussion protocol after suffering a head injury during Monday's game against Washington, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Gomes took a backswing to the head during the first inning and was removed from the contest as a precaution. However, he's yet to be placed in concussion protocol and is set to be re-evaluated Tuesday morning to determine his status moving forward, per McGregor. Tucker Barnhart would be in line to draw a start behind the dish Tuesday if Gomes can't go.

Gomes is being evaluated for a head injury after leaving Monday's game against the Nationals, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Gomes was hit in the helmet on the backswing in the first inning. The backstop should be considered day-to-day for now with Tucker Barnhart handling catching duties while Gomes is out.

Gomes left Monday's game against the Nationals with a potential injury, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Gomes was hit in the helmet in the bottom of the first on the backswing of Jeimer Candelario. Tucker Barnhardt has replaced Gomes behind the plate.