MLB Player News

Barnhart is not in Friday's lineup against the Diamondbacks.

He is 2-for-12 with two walks and three strikeouts in five September games. Curt Casali will start behind the dish and hit seventh.

Grandal went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk in Thursday's loss to the Cubs.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Grandal tied the game at 4-4 with a two-run homer off Jose Quintana. He also walked in the ninth, though the Brewers couldn't complete the comeback. On the season, the 30-year-old catcher has 23 home runs, 66 RBI and 60 runs scored while batting .249/.378/.466.

Contreras went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a solo home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Thursday's 10-5 win over the Brewers.

Contreras returned from the injured list Tuesday, and the slugging catcher has hit the ground running. In two games, he's now 6-for-8 with two home runs to get to 21 long balls for the season. Contreras certainly looks healthy and ready to put up big numbers the rest of the way.

Davis was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.

The Cubs were carrying four healthy catchers, so Davis probably benefits more from being at Triple-A for the Iowa Cubs' playoff run than to ride the bench in the majors. Once Iowa's season is over, he will likely head back up to the majors.

Jackson was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett and placed on the 60-day injured list with a left knee sprain Thursday.

With less than a month left in the season, this effectively ends Jackson's 2019 campaign. The backstop spent most of the season with Gwinnett, slashing .229/.313/.533 with 28 home runs and a 34.2 percent strikeout rate in 85 games. Darren O'Day (forearm) was activated from the 60-day IL in a corresponding move.

Diaz's solo homer ignited a ninth-inning rally in a 6-5 win over the Marlins on Wednesday.

With just two home runs to his credit, the catcher's offensive production has fallen off a cliff since 2018. An undisclosed viral infection delayed his season's start and it's possible that he never fully recovered. Whatever the case, Diaz's disappointing campaign includes a slash line of .254/.306/.325 in 291 plate appearances and his platoon role for 2020 is not guaranteed.

Mejia (oblique) played catch up to 90 feet and participated in defensive and agility drills Wednesday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Manager Andy Green indicated that Mejia is still on track for a return this year as long as he continues to progress. The 23-year-old was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain Aug. 30. He is hitting .263 with eight homers in 205 at-bats this season.

Barnhart is not in Thursday's lineup against the Phillies.

He is 2-for-11 with two walks and three strikeouts in four September games. Curt Casali will start behind the dish and hit sixth.

Barnes will be called up to the Dodgers on Friday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

With Will Smith thriving as a major-league starter and Russell Martin set as his backup, Barnes is likely to take the role of third catcher and occasional utility player. The 29-year-old has struggled mightily with the big club this season, hitting .198 with five homers in 207 at-bats. However, he performed well after being sent down to the minors, slashing .264/.375/.540 with six long balls and 17 RBI in 23 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Contreras went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Tuesday's victory over the Mariners.

Contreras was activated from the injured list before the game and wasted no time picking up where he left off, launching a 450-foot moonshot to left center field in the second inning. The 27-year-old ended up missing 27 games with a hamstring injury suffered in early August. He remains one of the best hitting catchers in the game, compiling a .279/.369/.537 slash line with 20 homers and 58 RBI in 344 plate appearances this season.