MLB Player News

Realmuto went 2-for-3 with two solo home runs and two walks Tuesday against the Phillies.

He now has 20 homers on the season, continuing to add to his career high in that department. Realmuto's 70 RBI, .351 OBP and .511 SLG also represent career bests -- impressive considering he is playing alongside the worst supporting talent since he reached the majors. His 134 wRC+ trails only Wilson Ramos (136) among catchers with at least 200 plate appearances.

Grandal is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Mets.

Grandal is hitting just .205 against southpaws this season -- compared to his .243 mark against righties -- so he'll give way to Austin Barnes behind the dish with a left-hander in Jason Vargas starting for the Mets.

Moore was activated off the restricted list Tuesday.

Moore missed Monday's contest in Toronto due to a passport issue. The issue has apparently been resolved, and he'll be eligible to play for the remainder of the series.

Garver is not starting Tuesday against Houston.

With three catchers on the roster for September, Garver's role could be somewhat reduced. Chris Gimenez will get the call behind the plate Tuesday.

McCann is not in the lineup Tuesday against the White Sox.

McCann will hit the bench for the second time in four games. Grayson Greiner will catch for the Tigers.

Narvaez is not starting Tuesday against the Tigers.

Narvaez sits for the second time in four games since returning from a short absence due to a finger strain. It's unclear if the days off are injury-related or simply a product of the White Sox having three catchers on their expanded September roster. Kevan Smith will start behind the plate Tuesday.

Manager Clint Hurdle said he didn't know if Diaz (hamstring) would play again this season, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic Pittsburgh reports.

Diaz suffered a hamstring injury over the weekend, and it appears the injury is more serious than initially thought. The Pirates purchased the contract of veteran catcher Ryan Lavarnway on Tuesday to provide depth behind the plate. Consider Diaz out indefinitely.

Vazquez is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Braves, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Vazquez started two of the first three games since returning from finger surgery. He'll sit Tuesday, with Sandy Leon getting a turn being the plate.

Gomes is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Royals.

Gomes has typically been playing two or three games in a row before turning over catching duties to Roberto Perez. This time, he'll cede to his teammate after starting just one game. Gomes' mediocre .255/.305/.423 batting line easily outpaces Perez's .151/.244/.224, so there's little reason to believe a shift in playing time is coming.

Mejia was called up by the Padres on Tuesday, Dennis Lin of The Athletic San Diego reports.

Mejia has played in 12 major-league games, going just 2-for-15. He hit .293/.338/.471 over 110 games at the Triple-A level with Columbus and El Paso this season, however. Assuming he can stick at catcher -- the Padres seem to have abandoned the Indians' experiment of converting him into an outfielder -- he has the potential to be one of the best-hitting backstops in the league, with an excellent feel for contact and average power. The Padres have a decent young catcher in the 26-year-old Austin Hedges, though Mejia has a higher offensive ceiling. The playing-time split between the pair down the stretch could offer insight into San Diego's plan for the future.