MLB Player News

Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds.

Kirk is 4-for-19 with two doubles, four walks, two RBI and a run over his past seven contests and will head to the bench Sunday for the second time in the past three games. Danny Jansen will take over behind the plate and bat seventh.

Perez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.

Perez will hit the bench after he caught both of the Pirates' first two games of the series with the Cardinals, going hitless across seven at-bats. Tyler Heineman will replace Perez behind the dish in the series finale.

Vazquez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Vazquez will receive some maintenance after he caught each of Boston's last four games while going a collective 5-for-14 with a double, three RBI and a run. Kevin Plawecki will step in for Vazquez behind the plate, forming a battery with starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in Saturday's 7-4 win over the Phillies.

The Dodgers trailed by one run entering the sixth inning before Smith cranked a solo shot to right field to tie the score. The long ball was his second during his modest four-game hitting streak. Smith has gone 4-for-15 during the stretch with three walks and three runs in addition to the pair of solo homers.

Barnes went 1-for-1 with a solo home run and scored an additional run in Saturday's 7-4 victory against Philadelphia.

Barnes came into the game as a pinch runner in the eighth inning and came around to score on a Gavin Lux single. Barnes remained in the contest and got a chance to bat in the ninth, lifting a solo homer to left field. Though Will Smith is firmly entrenched as the Dodgers' primary backstop, Barnes has hit well this season, slashing .267/.353/.578 with four homers, nine RBI and a 5:8 BB:K.

Contreras went 2-for-3 with a pair of solo home runs and a walk in Saturday's 4-3 win over Miami.

Contreras got the scoring started in the contest with his solo homer to right field in the fifth inning, and he knocked another solo shot in the seventh. This was his second multi-homer performance of the campaign despite the fact that he has played in only 10 games. Contreras is tied for the league lead among catchers with six long balls on the season, and he has essentially split time behind the plate with Travis d'Arnaud over the past week.

Serven went 2-for-4 with a pair of two-run home runs during an 11-3 win against the Mets on Saturday.

Making his second career start, Serven launched home runs in the second and sixth innings after going hitless in his debut Wednesday. The 27-year-old hit five home runs in 23 games at Triple-A Albuquerque, so the power could be legitimate, although it's uncertain how long Serven will stick with the team.

Thaiss (undisclosed) was activated from the 7-day injured list for Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

Thaiss has been out for two weeks with an unspecified issue, but he's good to go again now. He hit a modest .226/.300/.452 in 17 games prior to the injury and probably has to show more than that if he's to push for a return to the majors.

Diaz won't start the second half of Saturday's doubleheader against the Mets.

Diaz went hitless in four at-bats in the first game of the day. Brian Serven takes over behind the plate in the nightcap.

Contreras was removed from Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks due to right hamstring tightness, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.

Contreras started Saturday's game as the designated hitter and went 1-for-2 with a stolen base. While he singled and swiped a bag in the bottom of the third inning, he apparently tweaked something since Rafael Ortega took over as a pinch runner. The severity of the 30-year-old's injury isn't yet clear, but Yan Gomes should see increased work behind the dish if Contreras misses additional time.