MLB Player News

Realmuto went 2-for-4 with two walks, a double and two runs scored in Sunday's win over the Reds.

The catcher is the latest player to get a look at the top of the Marlins' order, and while Realmuto's .326 career OBP isn't ideal for a leadoff hitter, his .328/.406/.557 slash line through 16 games to begin 2018 makes him one of the few viable candidates available to manager Don Mattingly. If Realmuto sticks in the role, he'll have a chance to top last season's career-best 68 runs, even in an offense as weak as Miami's.

Barnhart went 2-for-4 during Sunday's 8-5 loss to the Marlins.

Barnhart recorded his first multi-hit performance since April 17 against Milwaukee. He's batting .236 with seven extra-base hits and 17 walks in 29 games this season.

Contreras will bat leadoff for the Cubs on Sunday against the Cardinals.

This will be the third time in his career that Contreras has batted atop the order and marks the fifth different leadoff man Joe Maddon has used this year, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com. Though six players on the Chicago roster have an on-base percentage greater than Contreras' .328 mark entering Sunday, he's seen success batting first in the past, as the backstop is 3-for-9 with a home run in his two previous games leading off.

Sanchez was recently placed on the 7-day disabled list at Triple-A Sacramento due to a concussion, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Sanchez missed time last season due to a concussion and had seen his development stall a bit earlier in his career in part because of head injuries, so expect the Giants to proceed cautiously with the backstop before clearing him to resume working behind the plate. The Giants signed veteran catcher Ryan Hanigan to offer depth for the Triple-A club while Sanchez is sidelined.

Grandal is out of the lineup Sunday against the Padres.

Grandal hasn't recorded a base hit in the month of May, and went 0-for-8 at the dish while starting the first two games of the series. He'll get what appears to be a regular day off to clear his head, with Austin Barnes in line to man the backstop.

Barnhart is not in the lineup Saturday against the Marlins.

Barnhart has started 23 of the Reds' first 33 games, a fairly standard workload for a starting catcher. The 27-year-old is hitting a respectable .224/.346/.353 with a pair of home runs. Devin Mesoraco will get the start in his place.

Moore (lower leg) will catch and bat seventh for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday.

Moore was forced to spend a little time on the disabled list but will be back in action for the first time since April 25 against Rochester on Saturday. Over 11 games with the IronPigs this season, he's hitting just .121/.216/.152.

Hedges (elbow) will rest for 7-to-10 days before possibly resuming activity, Dennis Lin of The Athletic San Diego reports.

This essentially rules out Hedges from returning to action after the minimum stay on the disabled list. If he's not feeling better at the end of the rest period, he will undergo further testing on his ailing elbow. Look for an update on his status next week.

Moore is on the disabled list with a right shin contusion, The Athletic Philadelphia reports.

The Phillies have three catchers at the Triple-A level, so it's possible that the injury is just an excuse to clear space on a crowded roster. The 27-year-old is a candidate to fill a bench role if one of the Phillies' major-league catchers gets injured, but he has just a .234/.299/.351 line in parts of four seasons at the Triple-A level, so his fantasy value will likely be minimal if he ever gets called up.

Barnes went 1-for-2 with two walks, a solo home run and two runs scored Thursday against the Diamondbacks.

Barnes took advantage of an opportunity to start behind the plate, driving his first home run of the season to left field. He has seen sporadic playing time with only 46 at-bats through 31 games. While he has an ugly .196 batting average, he has been able to get on base at a .413 clip and has walked more than he has struck out. However, due to his limited playing time, he is tough to roster outside of deep two-catcher leagues.