MLB Player News
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Jose Herrera C | TEX
Diamondbacks' Jose Herrera: Facing competition
Herrera could face competition as the primary catcher with the Diamondbacks expected to sign veteran backstop James McCann, MLB.com reports.
Herrera has started six of the last seven games since Arizona placed Gabriel Moreno (hand) on the 10-day injured list. The Diamondbacks' catchers are a combined 4-for-23 during that stretch, and Herrera is batting .176 this season. The 35-year-old McCann may not know Arizona's pitchers as intimately as Herrera, but he has vast experience in handling pitchers and in-game strategy while bringing more pop to the position.
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Cal Raleigh C | SEA
Mariners' Cal Raleigh: Goes deep again
Raleigh went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, three runs scored and two walks in Sunday's win over the Cubs.
Raleigh belted a two-run shot in the first inning Sunday for his 31st long ball of the year. It was his third straight game with a home run, and he has five over his last five games. The superstar catcher has produced three straight 30-homer seasons and is quickly approaching his career best of 34 set last season. Raleigh is slashing .276/.383/.659 with 45 extra-base hits and 66 RBIs through 75 appearances.
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Salvador Perez C | KC
Royals' Salvador Perez: Slugs ninth homer
Perez went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and a walk in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Padres.
The Kansas City veteran started at designated hitter and notched his 282nd career homer with a 412-foot long ball off San Diego starter Randy Vasquez in the sixth inning. This marks Perez's fifth homer of the month, as he's been productive in June with a .280 average (21-for-75), 14 RBI and seven runs scored across 19 games. Overall, the 35-year-old is slashing .235/.277/.394 with 41 RBI and 19 runs scored through 308 plate appearances.
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James McCann C | ARI
James McCann: Expected to sign with Arizona
McCann is expected to sign a major-league contract with the Diamondbacks on Monday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
McCann had a rolling opt-out clause in his minor-league deal with Atlanta, meaning that if another team offered him a major-league job, Atlanta needed to either promote him or allow him to leave. Since Atlanta was set at catcher at the big-league level with Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy, the organization will allow McCann to move on to Arizona. With the Diamondbacks, McCann will add some much-needed depth behind the dish after top backstop Gabriel Moreno (finger) was placed on the injured list Thursday. McCann will likely operate in a timeshare with Jose Herrera at catcher until Moreno returns from the IL.
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James McCann C | ARI
James McCann: Cut by Atlanta
Atlanta released McCann on Sunday.
After signing a minor-league deal with Atlanta, McCann never received a call to the majors despite producing a .297 average with six home runs, 31 RBI and 19 runs scored over 148 at-bats in 41 games with Triple-A Gwinnett. The veteran backstop appeared in 66 contests with the Orioles in 2024, batting .234 with eight long balls. He shouldn't have much trouble securing a contract with a new organization.
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Reese McGuire C | MIL
Cubs' Reese McGuire: Goes deep in loss
McGuire went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 14-6 loss to the Mariners.
Starting for a resting Carson Kelly, McGuire continued to serve as a very capable backup catcher. The veteran has gone deep four times already in only 12 games, helping push his OPS to .883. McGuire's career high in home runs is five, which he recorded across 30 games for the Blue Jays back in 2019. He may ultimately get bumped from the roster whenever Miguel Amaya (oblique) is able to return from the injured list, but McGuire is at least providing some short-term fantasy value on days when he's in the lineup.
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Freddy Fermin C | SD
Royals' Freddy Fermin: Playing time on upswing
Fermin will start at catcher and bat eighth in Sunday's game against the Padres.
Fermin will pick up his fourth start in five games and could hold down a semi-regular spot in the lineup while the Royals have been using Salvador Perez more frequently at first base and designated hitter of late. During the past month, Fermin hit .273 over a stretch of 15 games, but he provided limited counting statistics (one home run, no stolen bases, four runs, two RBI).
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Yainer Diaz C | HOU
Astros' Yainer Diaz: Heading to bench Sunday
Diaz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.
Diaz will get a rest day after he went 4-for-24 with no extra-base hits while starting the previous five contests. Victor Caratini will start at catcher and will bat sixth.
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Austin Wynns C | ATH
Athletics' Austin Wynns: Getting afternoon off
Wynns is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.
Wynns had started behind the dish in the first two games of the series and went 1-for-8 with a double and an RBI, but he'll take a seat for the finale while Willie MacIver receives the nod at catcher. Since being acquired by the Athletics on June 8, Wynns has slashed .179/.207/.464 with two home runs and six RBI.
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Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Not in Sunday's lineup
Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Smith started the previous three games and will receive a day off after going 2-for-4 with a double and a solo homer in Saturday's contest. Dalton Rushing will step in behind the plate to catch for righty Shohei Ohtani in Sunday's series finale.