MLB Player News

Barnhart went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored in Friday's win against the Diamondbacks.

Barnhart doubled to drive home a run in the sixth inning, then plated the eventual winning run with a single in the 10th. The backstop extended his hitting streak to five games in the process and has notched consecutive three-hit performances. Barnhart is slashing .444/.474/.778 through 19 plate appearances this season.

Stallings is 3-for-16 with one double and five walks in the season's first seven games.

He reached base three times Thursday with a single and two walks. After just 21 plate appearances, Stallings is batting .188 but holds a 5:5 BB:K, and his .062 ISO is below his career mark of .108. The catcher has hit better on the road (.274/.336/.406) than at PNC Park (.244/.323/.328) in his career, and the team plays its next six games at home.

Bemboom is travelling with the Angels on their current road trip as part of the team's taxi squad, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

As the presumptive third catcher on the Angels' depth chart, Bemboom will likely be part of the taxi squad often this season. Should either Max Stassi or Kurt Suzuki go down with injury, Bemboom would be the logical replacement on the big-league roster.

Jansen isn't starting Friday's game against the Angels, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Jansen had gone 1-for-6 with a double and two strikeouts while starting in the last two games. Alejandro Kirk will take his place behind the dish Friday, batting eighth.

Murphy is not in the lineup for Friday's game at Houston, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The 26-year-old started three of the past four contests and will head to the bench Friday against the Astros. Aramis Garcia will take over behind the plate for the A's.

Barrera was optioned to Washington's taxi squad Friday.

The 26-year-old was added to the roster last week following Washington's COVID-19 outbreak, but he's one of four players returning to the taxi squad Friday. Barrera appeared in one game and went 0-for-2.

Gomes was activated from the COVID-19 injured list Friday.

The 33-year-old missed the first three games of the season due to contract tracing but will rejoin the team Friday after clearing the COVID-19 protocols. According to Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com, Gomes won't start in his first game back with Jonathan Lucroy working behind the plate instead.

Diaz is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Giants.

The 30-year-old will take a seat for the second straight contest with Dom Nunez receiving another start behind the plate for Colorado. Diaz started Opening Day for the Rockies, but he's started only two games since while Nunez receives his fifth start of the season Friday.

Mejia, who went 1-for-3 with a double and a run against the Red Sox on Wednesday, has hit safely in all three of his starts thus far.

The reserve backstop is hitting .333 (3-for-9) in the early going, with his two-bagger Wednesday serving as his first extra-base hit of the campaign. Mejia also has two walks and has yet to strike out over his first 11 plate appearances, making him the polar opposite of free-swinging position mate Mike Zunino in that regard.

Vazquez went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a stolen base and a run scored Thursday against the Orioles.

Vazquez has hit very well to start the season, with Thursday's effort marking his third multi-hit effort in his last four games. Even more surprising is Vazquez's newfound aggressiveness on the basepaths, as he stole third base in the first inning for his second steal of the campaign. Despite an eye injury that affected him during spring training, Vazquez has stood out as a potential difference maker at the catcher position early on.