MLB Player News

Perez is on the bench for Sunday's season finale against the Rangers.

Perez has gone 0-for-6 in his last two games and 6-for-31 in his last 10. Assuming he doesn't enter Sunday's game, he finishes 2021 with an abysmal .149/.245/.319 slash line in 161 plate appearances. Austin Hedges is catching Sunday.

Stallings went 2-for-3 with a pair of walks in Saturday's 8-6 win over Cincinnati.

It's encouraging that the catcher's late-season concussion kept him sidelined for just nine days, and it appears that he'll head into the offseason healthy. Stallings has five hits in his last 11 at-bats, lifting his batting average to .246 -- his highest mark since May 25. The 31-year-old figures to serve as the team's primary catcher again in 2022.

Heim is not starting Sunday's game against Cleveland.

Heim hit his 10th home run of the season Saturday and will finish 2021 hitting .196 with 32 RBI, unless of course he pinch hits Sunday. Jose Trevino is catching and batting eighth.

Barnhart is out of the lineup Sunday against the Pirates, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The 30-year-old will finish the season on the bench for the third time in the final four games with Tyler Stephenson receiving another start. If he doesn't make an appearance off the bench, Barnhart will finish 2021 with a .247/.317/.368 slash line, seven homers, 21 doubles, 48 RBI and 41 runs in 388 plate appearances.

Jansen went 2-for-4 with a double, a two-run home run and a second run scored in Saturday's 10-1 win over the Orioles.

The catcher launched his 11th homer of the season in the fifth inning off Konner Wade. Three of those long balls have come in Jansen's last four starts, and since the beginning of September he's batting an impressive .327 (18-for-55).

Heim went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run and two walks in Saturday's 7-2 win over Cleveland.

The rookie catcher got his home run total to a round number Saturday, smashing his 10th long ball of the season off Triston McKenzie to bust the game wide open in the fourth inning. It's been a tough slog for Heim batting average-wise this season, but he'll look to use the 82 games of experience he got with the big club in 2021 to vie for a roster spot next year.

Contreras exited Saturday's game against the Cardinals with right hip tightness, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Contreras left in the third inning with the injury, though he walked and struck out in two plate appearances prior to his exit. While there has been no official word, there is a strong possibility that Contreras will be forced to miss Sunday's season finale and that his 2021 campaign is complete. Erick Castillo took over behind the plate to replace Contreras.

Diaz isn't starting Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Diaz went 1-for-3 with a run, an RBI and a strikeout Friday, but he'll retreat to the bench for the second time in the last three games. Dom Nunez will start at catcher and bat eighth.

Maldonado isn't starting Saturday's game against Oakland, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Maldonado will miss a second straight contest, although it's not clear whether his absence is related to his sore shoulder that forced him out of Wednesday's game against the Rays. Jason Castro will start at catcher and bat eighth.

Gomes isn't starting Saturday's game against the Astros, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Gomes started each of the last three games and went 1-for-10 with a run, a walk and four strikeouts. Sean Murphy will start behind the dish and bat eighth.