MLB Player News
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Willson Contreras 1B | BOS
Cubs' Willson Contreras: Smacks 15th homer
Contreras went 1-for-3 with a solo home run Saturday against the Diamondbacks.
Contreras delivered a leadoff home run in the fourth inning, his 15th long ball of the campaign. He was also ejected from the game arguing a call against Jason Heyward, though it was in the bottom of the ninth inning, so it did not cost him any plate appearances. Contreras has been on a modest power surge of late, delivering two home runs and two doubles across his last six starts. For the season, he is hitting.239/.350/.433 across 346 plate appearances.
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Sean Murphy C | ATL
Athletics' Sean Murphy: Heads to bench
Murphy will sit Saturday against Seattle.
Murphy hits the bench for the first time in a week. Aramis Garcia will take over behind the plate in his absence.
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Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Resting Saturday
Smith will sit Saturday against the Rockies.
Smith gets a rest after starting three straight games behind the plate. Austin Barnes takes over in his absence.
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Chad Wallach C | ATH
Marlins' Chad Wallach: DFA'd Saturday
The Marlins designated Wallach for assignment on Saturday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
The catcher was recalled before Friday's game and struck out in his only plate appearance. Wallach has appeared in 23 total games for the Marlins this season, hitting .200 with six RBI and 32 strikeouts. He was DFA'd to make room on the 40-man roster for Brian Anderson, whom the team activated from the 60-day injured list Saturday.
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Keibert Ruiz C | WAS
Dodgers' Keibert Ruiz: Slugs three homers in Triple-A game
Ruiz went 4-for-4 with three home runs, a double, a walk and five RBI for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday.
Ruiz has been on a tear at the plate of late, collecting at least one hit in seven straight games to push his season average up to .309. Overall, the backstop has crushed 16 homers across 48 contests while notching an equal number of walks and strikeouts (23). He may be the organization's top hitter currently playing in the minors, but his path to big-league playing time remains blocked by Will Smith and Austin Barnes.
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Jacob Stallings C | BAL
Pirates' Jacob Stallings: Retreats to bench
Stallings isn't in the lineup Saturday against the Giants, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Stallings will get a breather after he went 2-for-7 with two runs, a walk and two strikeouts across the last two games. Michael Perez will start behind the dish and bat eighth.
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Andrew Knizner C | BOS
Cardinals' Andrew Knizner: Productive in spot start
Knizner went 2-for-4 with a two-run ground-rule double and a run in a loss to the Reds on Friday.
The reserve backstop made his first game appearance since July 7, and he came through with his first multi-hit effort since May 30. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Knizner will draw a second straight start behind the dish Saturday due to Yadier Molina's ongoing neck stiffness.
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Austin Hedges C | CLE
Indians' Austin Hedges: Starting again Saturday
Hedges is starting Saturday's game against the Rays.
Hedges has gone just 2-for-10 with an RBI and a strikeout across his last three appearances. However, he'll be in the starting lineup for the fourth time in the last five games, and he may have reclaimed his role as Cleveland's No. 1 catcher for now.
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Roberto Perez C | BOS
Indians' Roberto Perez: Remains out of lineup
Perez isn't starting Saturday's game against Tampa Bay, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Perez has gone just 2-for-15 with a solo home run, three walks and seven strikeouts since the All-Star break, and he'll be out of the lineup for a third consecutive game as he may have lost his hold on the starting job behind the dish. Austin Hedges will start at catcher once again and bat eighth.