MLB Player News

Contreras went 2-for-3 with a double, a run and an RBI in Tuesday's Cactus League loss to the Angels.

Contreras is off to a great start this spring, slashing .385/.467/.923 through 13 at-bats with two home runs, six runs scored and six RBI. The young catcher didn't quite live up to preseason expectations in 2018, but the talent is certainly there for him to rebound and be an elite option at the position in 2019.

D'Arnaud is scheduled to play catcher in a "B" game Thursday, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reports.

D'Arnaud is being eased into action this spring as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. After being limited to DH duties through his first two Grapefruit League appearances, d'Arnaud has been cleared to set up behind the dish for the first time this spring. Barring any setbacks, the 30-year-old should open the season as the backup to Wilson Ramos.

D'Arnaud went 1-for-3 with an RBI in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.

Seeing his first action in nearly a year due to Tommy John surgery, d'Arnaud slotted in at DH and quickly showed the offensive side of his game was A-OK. The next step will be to show he can handle his defensive duties, but if he has no setbacks this spring, the 30-year-old figures to begin the season as the Mets' No. 2 catcher behind Wilson Ramos.

D'Arnaud (elbow) will make his spring debut Sunday as expected, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reports.

The Mets have held d'Arnaud out up to this point of the spring in order to let him complete his recovery from the Tommy John procedure he underwent last April, but he is finally ready to get back on the field. D'Arnaud will be eased into action, and will serve as the Mets' designated hitter Sunday while occupying the third spot in the lineup.

D'Arnaud (elbow) will return to the lineup as a designated hitter Sunday against the Cardinals, Matt Ehalt of The Bergen Record reports.

The Mets have handled d'Arnaud carefully as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery, but returning Sunday should give him enough time to compete for an Opening Day spot. He'll be battling Devin Mesoraco for the backup catcher job behind Wilson Ramos.

Wallach exited Thursday's Grapefruit League game due to a quadriceps injury, Andre Fernandez of The Athletic reports.

Manager Don Mattingly said Wallach "felt something in his quad" during Thursday's loss to the Astros, which helps explain his removal after three innings. Mattingly said the issue was minor, though he failed to offer up a timetable for Wallach's return, leaving the backup catcher day-to-day. Wallach is 1-for-5 through three games this spring.

Casali (hip) thinks he'll be back in game action in a week, John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Initial reports suggested that Casali wouldn't be ready for game action until mid-March, giving him just two weeks to prepare for Opening Day, but he appears to be a week ahead of that timeline. He'll have the inside shot on the Reds' backup catcher job if healthy, though the team also has Kyle Farmer and Rule 5 pick Connor Joe in camp.

Contreras went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run and two runs scored in Wednesday's Cactus League win over the Rangers.

Contreras is off to a good start this spring, as he now has two home runs and five RBI in his first three games. The 26-year-old catcher took a step back in the power department last season, as he saw his home-run total dip from 21 in 2017 to just 10 last year. If Contreras can regain his homer stroke in 2019 he should be among the top catchers in fantasy baseball.

D'Arnaud (elbow) said he's "getting close to being in games," Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. "Everything feels good," said the backstop. "Defensively, good. Offensively, good."

The Mets have brought d'Arnaud along slowly this spring as he works back from Tommy John surgery that he underwent last April. While he remains without a concrete return date at the moment, the 30-year-old suggested he could be cleared to make his Grapefruit League debut within a matter of days, as he's cleared most of the necessary hurdles. Once healthy, d'Arnaud will compete with Devin Mesoraco for the team's backup catching role.

Diaz is week-to-week with a virus and could begin the regular season on the injured list, John Perrotto of DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.

Director of medicine Todd Tomczyk did not reveal Diaz's specific ailment. The backstop missed time with a case of cellulitis in 2017. Francisco Cervelli and Jacob Stallings would likely share catching duties if Diaz is forced to miss the start of the regular season. Unless Diaz's illness is more serious than is currently known, the 27-year-old figures to see significant playing time in 2019. He hit .286 with 10 homers and 34 RBI in 252 at-bats last season.