MLB Player News

Stubbs (hand) threw and hit Monday after having X-rays come back negative, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Stubbs was hit by a foul tip on the right hand while catching a batting practice session Sunday, but the injury doesn't appear to be of any concern given he's already back on the field. The 28-year-old is on the Astros' taxi squad and should remain there unless Martin Maldonado or Jason Castro go down with an injury.

Stubbs was hit by a foul tip on the right hand while catching a live batting practice session Sunday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Stubbs isn't on the ALCS roster but is with the team as a member of the taxi squad, and he left the field with athletic trainers after being hit by the foul tip. The Astros could end up adding another catcher to the taxi squad if Stubbs is unavailable for any period of time.

Vazquez isn't starting Game 2 of the ALCS against Houston on Saturday, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.

Vazquez drew the start in the series opener and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. Kevin Plawecki will take over behind the dish and bat eighth.

Stubbs was left off the Astros' ALCS roster.

Stubbs provided the Astros with some injury insurance in the ALDS as the team's third catcher, but he didn't get into a game. With a longer, seven-game series against the Red Sox on tap, the Astros elected to go with an extra reliever and could no longer afford the luxury of a third backstop.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double, a walk and a strikeout in Tuesday's 7-2 win over the Giants in Game 4 of the NLDS.

Smith was one of six Dodgers to record multiple hits in Tuesday's victory, and he displayed plenty of power. The catcher has logged hits in each of the first four games in the NLDS and has gone 6-for-15 with two home runs, two doubles, three runs and three RBI during that time.

Grandal went 1-for-3 with a home run, two walks and three RBI in Sunday's 12-6 win over Houston in Game 3 of the ALDS.

Grandal cut the White Sox's deficit to 5-3 in the third inning, when he drove a fly ball 359 feet to left field that barely cleared the fence for a two-run home run. The backstop was then at the center of a pivotal play for Chicago with the game tied at 6-6 in his next at-bat an inning later. After he hit a grounder to first base, Grandal was hit by the ball on a throw home by the Astros' Yuli Gurriel that scored Luis Robert, with officials ruling the play an error rather than interference on Grandal's part. Robert's run gave the White Sox a 7-6 lead, and Chicago didn't look back after that to secure its first win of the series.

Vazquez went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer in Sunday's 6-4 win over the Rays in Game 3 of the ALDS.

Vazquez came off the bench in Sunday's matchup but still saw plenty of work since the game lasted 13 innings. His walkoff homer in the 13th frame was his first long ball of the postseason, and he's now gone 4-for-13 with a homer, four RBI and two runs across four appearances since the playoffs began.

Vazquez is not in the lineup for Game 3 of the ALDS versus the Rays on Sunday, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.

Vazquez went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run in the Game 2 victory, but he'll head to the bench for Sunday's Game 3. Kevin Plawecki will take over behind the plate for Boston.

Narvaez isn't starting Game 2 of the NLDS against Atlanta on Saturday.

Narvaez went 1-for-3 in Game 1, and he'll get a day off with lefty Max Fried on the mound for Atlanta. Manny Pina will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Maile has been included on the Brewers' roster for the NLDS against Atlanta, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Top catchers Omar Narvaez and Manny Pina stayed relatively healthy all season, so Maile spent most of 2021 at Triple-A Nashville, where he had a .663 OPS in 155 plate appearances. However, he took advantage of his 15-game stint in the majors, hitting .300/.382/.433 with four doubles, three RBI and six runs in 34 plate appearances. Maile should operate as Milwaukee's No. 3 catcher for the NLDS.