MLB Player News

Smith will sit Saturday against Atlanta, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Smith sits for the second time in three games. Despite preseason indications that he might start no more than 90 games, Smith is currently on pace to make 101 starts behind the plate. Austin Barnes will start in his absence.

Contreras isn't starting Saturday's game against the Dodgers.

Contreras drew starts in each of the last two games and went 2-for-8 with four strikeouts. Kevan Smith will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Gomes (hamstring) remains on the bench for Saturday's game against the Phillies.

Gomes is battling a tight right hamstring and will sit for the third straight game. Alex Avila remains the starter behind the plate in his absence.

Stallings went 1-for-3 with a two-run single and a walk in Friday's 9-2 win over Miami.

He's batting just .176 over the last nine games but has six RBI in his last three starts. Stallings, who has hit fourth or fifth in the lineup since Colin Moran (groin) went on the injured list, will likely move down when Moran returns next week. Overall, the catcher is slashing .237/.333/.417 with four homers in 159 plate appearances.

Stephenson isn't starting Saturday against the Cardinals.

Stephenson will get a breather after he went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and a walk Friday. Mike Freeman will start at first base and bat eighth.

Narvaez went 2-for-3 with a homer, a double, a walk, two RBI and three runs scored in Friday's 5-1 win over the Diamondbacks.

Narvaez doubled in a run in the third inning and came around to score on an error. He later tacked on an insurance run with a solo blast in the eighth. The 29-year-old was in a 4-for-35 slump entering Friday's game and he produced his first multi-hit effort since May 19.

Manager Jayce Tingler said Friday that Nola (knee) still needs "a week or two" before he's cleared to return, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

Nola has been on the 10-day injured list since May 28 due to a slight knee sprain. It's not yet clear whether the 31-year-old will require a rehab assignment before he returns to the Padres, but Victor Caratini should continue to serve as the primary catcher in his absence.

Gomes is out of the lineup Friday at Philadelphia due to some tightness in his right hamstring, Matt Weyrich of NBC Sports Washington reports.

The 33-year-old is on the bench for the second straight contest due to the injury. Gomes is considered day-to-day, and the fact the Nationals have yet to make a roster move to add a third catcher indicates it may not be a serious injury. Alex Avila will receive another start behind the plate in his place.

Barnhart is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Cardinals.

Barnhart will sit for the second time in three games. Tyler Stephenson will catch Luis Castillo, with Alex Blandino manning first base.

McCann went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Thursday's loss against the Padres.

McCann has gone deep in two straight games and in three of his last five contests, and the veteran catcher is putting a slow start to the year behind him. The backstop has five homers and 19 RBI through 42 games and seems on a good path to hit double-digit homers for the second time in the last three years.