MLB Player News

Barnhart went 2-for-3 with two solo home runs, three runs scored and a walk Tuesday against the Angels.

Barnhart delivered late offense for the Reds, going yard in the sixth and eighth innings. He now has eight home runs on the season, three of which have come in his last three games. While he has clear run for playing time while Curt Casali (knee) remains on the injured list, Barnhart is hitting just .220/.318/.377 across 221 plate appearances for the season.

Realmuto went 1-for-4 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, an RBI and a run scored Monday in the Phillies' 7-3 win over the Diamondbacks.

The 12 steals Realmuto racked up his age-24 campaign in 2015 will likely go down as a career-high total, but he's still a plus source of speed relative to most catchers. His stolen base in Monday's contest was his fifth of the season, tops among all backstops in baseball.

Contreras is expected to miss four weeks due to his strained right hamstring, a source tells Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com.

When Contreras was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com speculated that the backstop would likely be sidelined for at least three weeks with the injury. Rogers' report adds more definition to Contreras' recovery timeline, though the Cubs aren't expect to confirm the four-week estimate and are likely viewing the backstop as a out indefinitely. For however long Contreras is ultimately sidelined, Victor Caratini is expected to serve as Chicago's primary catcher. Though he can't match Contreras' power, Caratini's .264/.357/.446 slash line and solid plate discipline (12.3 BB%, 22.1 K%) should at least make him a usable option in leagues that start two catchers each week.

Mejia went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and a stolen base in a losing effort against the Dodgers on Sunday.

The 23-year-old doubled leading off the third inning and subsequently came around to score the first run of the game for the Padres. He also singled and stole second base in the sixth, collecting his first steal in the majors and first at any level since 2017. In his second season in San Diego, Mejia is slashing .243/.294/.378 with four homers in 160 plate appearances.

Barnhart went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run, two runs and two walks during a 6-4 victory against the Braves on Sunday.

The Braves tied the game in the ninth, then the Reds grounded into a double play to begin the 10th, but after two straight singles, Barnhart came through with a three-run homer to retake the lead. It was his first home run since returning from an oblique injury that cost Barnhart the end of June and most of July. He is batting .212 with six home runs, 25 RBI and 21 runs in 184 at-bats this season.

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

Hedges and Francisco Mejia have alternated starts over the last seven games, and Hedges will head to the bench after going 0-for-2 on Saturday. The 26-year-old has a .794 OPS with on double and two home runs in 10 games since the All-Star break.

Caratini started at catcher and batted sixth in Sunday's game against the Brewers.

With Willson Contreras moving to the 10-day injured list Sunday due to a strained hamstring, Caratini looks poised to earn a multi-week run as the team's top backstop. The Cubs recalled Taylor Davis from Triple-A Iowa for extra reinforcement behind the dish, but he's not a serious threat to poach many starts from Caratini. Despite seeing somewhat inconsistent playing time this season, Caratini has delivered a strong .271/.360/.458 slash line with five home runs and 21 RBI in 136 plate appearances. He'll be a must-roster player in NL-only leagues and mixed formats that start two catchers and may even warrant consideration in single-catcher leagues as well.

Smith is not in the lineup for Sunday's game versus San Diego, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Smith started the last four games behind the plate so it's no real surprise to see him receive the day off for the series finale. The 24-year-old is slashing .327/.382/.816 with six home runs, six doubles and 19 RBI through his first 16 major-league games. Russell Martin will start at catcher Sunday for Los Angeles.

Nido will start at catcher and bat eighth Sunday against the Pirates, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

He'll be making just his fifth start since the All-Star break with top backstop Wilson Ramos getting a day off after handling catching duties each of the past four days. Nido offers a defensive upgrade from Ramos, but his .602 OPS on the season renders him a rather unappealing DFS play.

Davis was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Sunday.

Davis rejoins the Cubs on Sunday with the team placing Willson Contreras on the injured list with a hamstring strain. The 29-year-old should serve as the backup to Victor Caratini behind the plate while Contreras remains sidelined.