MLB Player News

Stephenson sustained a fractured right thumb during Thursday's loss to the Diamondbacks and is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Stephenson had a strong start to the 2022 season, slashing .305/.361/.468 with five home runs, 31 RBI, 21 runs and a stolen base over 42 games. He missed a week and a half earlier in the year due to a concussion but is now facing an absence of at least a month due to the thumb injury. Aramis Garcia should serve as the Reds' primary catcher in Stephenson's absence, while the team will also presumably call up another backstop from the minors.

D'Arnaud (forearm) is starting Thursday against the Pirates.

D'Arnaud missed the last two games due to forearm soreness, but he'll start behind the plate and bat fifth Thursday. Over his last five games, the 33-year-old hit .286 with two homers, six RBI, three runs, a walk and two strikeouts.

Stephenson left Thursday's contest early with a hand injury, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

He was forced out of the game after a foul ball went off his bare right hand while catching, and Aramis Garcia replaced him behind the plate. More information will likely be provided on Stephenson's status following the conclusion of Thursday's matchup.

Casali isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against Colorado, Amy Gutierrez of the Giants' official site reports.

The 33-year-old started in the last three games and went 2-for-8 with a double, two runs, a walk and three strikeouts. While Casali is in line to serve as the primary catcher after Joey Bart was sent down Wednesday, Austin Wynns will start behind the dish and bat eighth Thursday.

Diaz is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's contest against the Giants.

Diaz will sit after starting two games in a row, going 1-for-7 with a run scored in the first two contests of the series in San Francisco. Brian Serven will take over behind the plate and bat ninth Thursday.

Contreras and the Cubs agreed to a one-year, $9.625 million contract for the 2022 season Thursday to avoid arbitration, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

The two parties were slated to have an arbitration hearing Thursday, but Contreras landed a new deal shortly before the deadline. The 30-year-old has been productive early in the season, slashing .277/.403/.530 with 10 homers, 35 runs, 23 RBI and two stolen bases over 47 games. He's slated to become a free agent during the offseason but is a candidate to be traded by the rebuilding Cubs this summer if he doesn't reach a long-term agreement with the team.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's victory against the White Sox.

Smith took Johnny Cueto deep for a two-run shot in the first inning. The homer was his seventh of the year and his second in the last three games. He later added a single and notched his first multi-hit effort since May 26. Overall, Smith has struggled to hit consistently this season, producing a .235/.343/.409 slash line over 149 at-bats in 44 games.

Nola is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mets, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Nola and Jorge Alfaro have alternated starts over the past 13 games, and that trend will continue Wednesday after Nola went 0-for-3 with a walk, a run and a strikeout during Tuesday's contest.

Contreras will start at catcher and bat sixth in Wednesday's game against the Athletics.

Contreras will draw his fourth consecutive start Wednesday, but the last two have come while top backstop Travis d'Arnaud has sat out with a sore forearm. Manager Brian Snitker hasn't suggested that d'Arnaud's injury is anything that will force him to the injured list, so Contreras could soon move into more of a part-time role. With Atlanta dedicated to giving prospect Michael Harris regular run in the outfield, Marcell Ozuna is typically occupying the designated-hitter spots these days, closing off one potential pathway to at-bats for Contreras.

D'Arnaud (forearm) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Athletics, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

D'Arnaud will be on the bench for the second game in a row while he tends to a sore forearm, an injury that manager Brian Snitker described as mild a day earlier. However, the 33-year-old is expected to return to the lineup Thursday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. William Contreras will pick up another start behind the dish in place of d'Arnaud.