MLB Player News

Barnhart (oblique) will take batting practice Saturday and could start a rehab assignment next week, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Barnhart landed on the injured list with a right oblique strain at the end of June but appears to be nearing a rehab assignment. The Reds are in dire need of help behind the plate with Curt Casali (knee) and Kyle Farmer (concussion) also on the shelf, though Barnhart is unlikely to rejoin the team before August.

Diaz will start at catcher and bat eighth against the Phillies on Friday.

He has just five hits in his last 36 at-bats since June 28, good for a .139 batting average. Perhaps more importantly, Diaz has started only seven of 12 games in July as Jacob Stallings has become the personal catcher to both Chris Archer and Joe Musgrove. Diaz is 0-for-4 lifetime with three strikeouts against Friday's starter, Jake Arrieta.

Contreras (foot) is slated for baseball activity Friday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Contreras is recovering from a strain of the arch muscle in his right foot that landed him on the 10-day injured list July 14 and created roster space for the addition of Martin Maldonado. Maldonado and Victor Caratini will continue handling the catching duties in his absence. The 27-year-old Contreras featured a .304/.407/.652 slash line with two home runs, seven RBI and five runs scored in 23 at-bats across six July starts.

Caratini will be on the bench Friday against the Padres.

Caratini and Martin Maldonado are splitting time in the absence of Willson Contreras (foot). Maldonado gets the nod Friday for the second time in three games.

Gomes is not in the lineup Thursday against the Braves.

Gomes has started three of the past four games behind the dish, going 0-for-8 with a walk, a stolen base and four strikeouts in those contests. Kurt Suzuki is starting at catcher and hitting sixth in this one.

Casali (knee) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday.

This was expected. The move is retroactive to Tuesday, so Casali will be eligible to return July 26 should he prove ready. Ryan Lavarnway was signed to a big-league contract in a corresponding roster move and should share catching duties with Juan Graterol until one of Casali, Tucker Barnhart (oblique) or Kyle Farmer (concussion) returns from the injured list.

Knizner is 1-for-7 with a double over his first two games since being recalled from Triple-A Memphis on July 11.

The two-bagger came during Wednesday's win over the Pirates and served as his first major-league hit. The 24-year-old backstop's latest promotion is the byproduct of Yadier Molina's thumb injury. Knizner projects to continue splitting time with Matt Wieters in a same-handed platoon while Molina remains sidelined.

Mejia is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Marlins.

Mejia has been acting as the Padres' primary backstop for much of the past month, but he'll cede a second straight start to Austin Hedges as San Diego wraps up its series in Miami. Manager Andy Green may just be rewarding Hedges with another turn after the 26-year-old went 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk to aid the Padres to a 3-2 win Wednesday.

Smith was removed from Wednesday's game with Triple-A Oklahoma City with an apparent right wrist injury, Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register reports.

Smith got crossed up behind the plate and appeared to be hit in the right wrist by the pitch, and he was unable to deliver accurate warm-up throws to remain in the game. The 24-year-old should be considered day-to-day until more is known on the injury.

Hedges went 1-for-3 with a walk and a two-run home run in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Marlins.

His fourth-inning shot -- the catcher's first long ball in nearly two months -- gave the Padres a 3-0 lead, and Chris Paddack and the bullpen took it from there. Hedges is slashing only .187/.250/.325 through 62 games with seven homers and 25 RBI, and he'll continue losing playing time to Francisco Mejia if he can't supply more consistent offense.