MLB Player News

Contreras will get the day off Thursday against the Pirates.

Contreras has started the season on the right foot, hitting .276 with three homers. Victor Caratini will get the start behind the plate in his absence.

Barnes is not in Thursday's lineup against the Cardinals.

In the matinee in St. Louis, Barnes will head to the bench after starting four of the last five games. He hit two home runs and logged five hits in the first three games of the season, but he's 3-for-16 (albeit with five walks) over his last six games. Rocky Gale starts at catcher and will hit eighth.

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

Barnhart is just getting some routine maintenance for a day game after a night game. Curt Casali will check in behind the plate and work in a battery with Sonny Gray.

Barnes is starting at catcher and hitting eighth against the Cardinals on Wednesday.

It's the second straight start for the 29-year-old, and with Russell Martin (back) hitting the injured list on Wednesday, Barnes figures to carry the majority of the load at the position for as long as his veteran teammate is out. Rocky Gale was called up and will serve as the backup to Barnes.

Hedges is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Giants.

Hedges sits for the second time in three games, though he still has a clear edge over Francisco Mejia in starts behind the plate this season, getting the call for eight out of 13 games. He's hitting just .200 in those eight games.

Realmuto went 3-for-5 at the plate in Tuesday's loss to the Nationals.

Realmuto had started the season slowly, grabbing just four hits in his first seven games, but he's since had five hits in his last three. He appears to be in line for one of the heavier workloads in the league among all catchers, as he's sat just once in the team's first 10 games.

Grandal went 3-for-4 with two home runs, three runs scored and three RBI in Tuesday's 11-8 loss to the Angels.

The catcher is on fire at the plate, putting together a six-game hitting streak during which he's 12-for-22 (.545) with all three of his homers on the year. Grandal has been sitting every third game or so in the early going, but given his current form at the plate he could see a bigger workload in the short term until he cools down.

Gomes went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run during Tuesday's extra-inning win over the Nationals.

Gomes found himself on the bench for the previous two games but made his presence known in his return to the lineup Tuesday. Gomes has started six games to Kurt Suzuki's four, so it's been a pretty even timeshare behind the plate thus far for the Nationals.

Barnes is back in the lineup, catching and hitting eighth for the Dodgers' tilt with the Cardinals on Tuesday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Barnes sat out Monday but is back in action Tuesday as Russell Martin will retreat to the bench. Barnes has been swinging a hot bat to start the season, with a .421/.538/.789 slash line over 19 at-bats, but with Martin also hitting well, manager Dave Roberts has been splitting the workload pretty evenly between the two in the early going.

Diaz's (illness) rehab assignment was transferred to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

A viral infection wrecked Diaz's spring training, but he's working his way toward a return. When he's ready to go, he should take the Pirates' backup catcher job from Jacob Stallings.