MLB Player News

Heineman (head) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals.

Heineman started behind the plate in the first two games of the series with Kansas City but exited Saturday's 4-2 win after being diagnosed with a head contusion when he took a foul tip off his mask. Per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca, manager John Schneider said that Heineman hasn't developed any concussion symptoms, but he's still viewed as day-to-day. In any case, Heineman's brief run as Toronto's No. 1 catcher is over, as the Blue Jays activated Alejandro Kirk (concussion) from the 7-day injured list Sunday.

The Blue Jays reinstated Kirk (concussion) from the 7-day injured list Sunday. He'll start at catcher and bat sixth against the Royals.

The backstop had a minimum-length stay on the shelf after being struck on the facemask by a foul tip last weekend. The 26-year-old Kirk will step back in as Toronto's No. 1 backstop after slashing .304/.361/.413 with seven home runs, 47 RBI and 27 runs over 88 games prior to landing on the IL.

Adams is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Adams will get a chance to catch his breath after he started five of the previous six games. Drew Millas will handle catching duties Sunday, forming a battery with starting pitcher Brad Lord.

Caratini is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox.

Despite bringing his batting average up to .267 with a 4-for-5 performance in Saturday's 7-3 loss, Caratini will head to the bench for the series finale. With Houston acquiring Carlos Correa and Jesus Sanchez at the trade deadline and getting Jeremy Pena back from the injured list Friday, Caratini's playing time may become more inconsistent.

Narvaez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Astros.

Narvaez will get a breather after he caught all nine innings of Saturday's 7-3 win over the Astros. Connor Wong will get the nod behind the plate Sunday, and manager Alex Cora said he planned on having the 29-year-old catch again Monday against the Royals in an effort to keep him sharp, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Despite the impending time off, Narvaez should still viewed as Boston's No. 1 catcher.

Higashioka went 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk, three total RBI and an additional run scored in Saturday's 6-4 extra-innings win over the Mariners.

Higashioka opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the third inning and broke a 2-2 tie in the 10th with an RBI single. In 17 games since July 4, the veteran backstop has posted a remarkable 1.142 OPS with nine extra-base hits, 14 RBI and 10 runs scored. For the year, he's slashing .269/.316/.431 with seven home runs, 30 RBI, 22 runs scored and three steals across 212 plate appearances.

Realmuto went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Saturday's 7-5 loss to Detroit.

Realmuto has now hit fourth or fifth in Philadelphia's lineup for 11 consecutive games, and the move up the batting order should amplify the veteran catcher's RBI upside as long as Alec Bohm (ribs) remains on the injured list. Since the start of July, Realmuto is hitting a torrid .345 with two home runs, eight doubles, 11 RBI and 10 runs scored over 21 outings (87 at-bats).

Perez went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Blue Jays.

The veteran catcher took Max Scherzer deep in the sixth inning, giving Perez his fifth straight 20-homer campaign and the ninth of his Hall of Fame career. The 35-year-old has been getting plenty of work at first base and DH this season to preserve his legs, but with Freddy Fermin now a Padre, Perez might need to be behind the plate more often over the final two months unless the Royals decide top prospect Carter Jensen, who has eight homers in his first 24 Triple-A games, is ready for his big-league debut.

Heineman was removed from Saturday's game against the Royals with a head contusion, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.

Heineman was hit by a pitch in the third inning and took a foul tip off his catcher's mask shortly afterward in the fourth, which ultimately ended his day behind the plate. The team is currently labeling his injury as a contusion, though the 34-year-old backstop will likely be evaluated for a concussion.

Bailey is not in the Giants' starting lineup against the Mets on Saturday.

Bailey will get a breather after going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Friday's extra-inning win over the Mets. Andrew Knizner will serve behind the dish and bat eighth.