MLB Player News

Perez was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Perez had been with the team since mid-August, going 2-for-14 at the plate in six games. The Mets will go with the usual two catchers (James McCann and Tomas Nido) for now, clearing space for reliever Tommy Hunter (back) to return from the injured list.

Heineman isn't starting Friday against the Phillies.

Heineman has alternated starts behind the dish with Jason Delay recently and will head to the bench after he went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk Wednesday against Atlanta. Delay is starting at catcher and batting ninth.

Campusano was recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Friday.

Campusano has been in the minors since the start of May but will rejoin the active roster to provide depth behind primary catcher Austin Nola after Jorge Alfaro (knee) was placed on the 10-day injured list. Campusano hit .083 with a run, an RBI and two strikeouts over four big-league games earlier in the year.

Contreras (ankle) is starting behind the plate and batting second Friday against the Brewers.

Contreras hasn't seen the field since Monday due to a left ankle sprain, but he'll rejoin the lineup for Friday's series opener in Milwaukee. Through 16 games in August, the 30-year-old has a .230/.310/.574 slash line with six home runs, 14 RBI and 10 runs scored.

Narvaez isn't starting Friday against the Cubs.

Narvaez has started against just two left-handed pitchers this season and will head to the bench for a second consecutive game with southpaw Justin Steele on the mound for Chicago. Victor Caratini is starting behind the dish and batting eighth.

McCann will sit Thursday versus the Rockies, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

McCann will be on the bench for the second straight game Thursday. Tomas Nido will draw another start behind the plate and bat ninth against Colorado.

Diaz is not in the starting lineup Thursday against the Mets.

Diaz will remain on the bench for the second straight game as the Rockies take on Jacob deGrom and the Mets on Thursday. Brian Serven will take over behind the plate and bat eighth versus New York.

Realmuto will sit Thursday against the Reds.

Realmuto will get a day off after he went 6-for-12 with four extra-base hits, a homer, four RBI and three runs scored, in the first three games of the series. Garrett Stubbs is starting at catcher and will bat sixth in the series finale.

Contreras (ankle) is out of the starting lineup Thursday against the Cardinals.

Contreras will miss a fourth consecutive game due to a left ankle sprain, but the Cubs don't view it as a major concern, as manager David Ross said he expects the 30-year-old backstop to be back in the starting nine Friday against the Brewers, according to Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times. P.J. Higgins will remain in the lineup at catcher and bat sixth Thursday.

Alvarez went 2-for-3 with a homer, two walks, three RBI and two runs in his most recent game for Triple-A Syracuse, but he's still hitting just .179/.340/.375 in 32 games since his promotion.

The 20-year-old backstop has seen his power stroke show up only in fits and starts at the highest level of the minors, as Tuesday's long ball snapped a stretch of 11 straight games without any extra-base hits. That said, while his overall stat line with Syracuse is ugly, there are some positives to be found in it. Alvarez has a .209 BABIP in Triple-A that's bound for positive regression, and while his strikeout rate has climbed to an uncomfortable 28.4 percent (from 24 percent in Double-A this year), his walk rate has also spiked to 17.6 percent (from 12.5). It's also worth remembering that Alvarez is exceptionally young for a catching prospect on the doorstep of the major leagues -- for one illustrative example, when Orioles stud rookie backstop Adley Rutschman was Alvarez's age, he was still playing college ball.