MLB Player News

Stallings (back) isn't in the starting lineup Tuesday against the Mariners.

Stallings is set to miss his fourth straight game due to back tightness. Elias Diaz draws another start behind the dish and will hit fifth.

Barnhart is not in the lineup Monday against the Cubs.

Barnhart has hit just .129/.229/.129 in 12 games in the month of September. Curt Casali takes over behind the plate.

Hedges is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies.

Hedges started eight of the last nine games and will receive a breather after going 3-for-21 with six walks. Austin Allen takes over behind the plate for the Friars in the series finale.

Caratini is starting at catcher and batting sixth in Sunday's game against the Pirates.

Caratini appeared as a pinch hitter Saturday and popped his 10th home run of the season in the process. With regular catcher Willson Contreras getting a breather Sunday, Caratini will have a chance for a few more at-bats.

Contreras is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against Pittsburgh.

Contreras will take a seat Sunday after starting the first two games of the series and going 3-for-8 with two home runs, three runs scored and two RBI. Victor Caratini will start behind the plate and bat sixth in the series finale.

Stallings (back) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs.

Stallings will remain on the bench for the third straight contest as he battles back tightness. Elias Diaz will start behind the plate and bat fifth Sunday.

Mejia (oblique) could rejoin the Padres as early as Monday, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Mejia began taking batting practice last week and has since moved on to game action in the instructional league in Arizona. The Padres will head to Milwaukee for a four-game series beginning Monday, during which Mejia could rejoin the team. He has been on the 10-day IL since Aug. 30 while nursing a strained right oblique.

Caratini went 1-for-1 with a solo home run in a 14-1 win over the Pirates on Saturday.

Entering the game as a pinch hitter in the seventh, Caratini completed the scoring with a solo homer off Parker Markel. Caratini has played less in September with Wilson Contreras (hamstring) now healthy and Jonathan Lucroy also on the roster, but he has still been able to generate a .277/.359/.466 slash line over 206 at-bats this season.

Smith is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Mets.

Smith has been getting every other day off and that trend will continue; he gives way to Russell Martin behind the plate after going 0-for-4 in Friday's series opener. He was off to a blistering start in the majors, but Smith is just 3-for-27 to begin September. Ideally, he'll be able to make some adjustments before the end of the regular season.

Hedges went 1-for-2 with a two-run homer and two walks in a loss to Colorado on Friday.

Hedges put the Padres on the board in the first inning with a two-run blast to center field and reached base twice more via walk. The productive game was a rare bright spot in what has been a miserable month for Hedges at the plate, as he is hitting a scant .100 with one extra-base hit in 30 at-bats in September.