MLB Player News

Perez went 1-for-3 with a walk and a two-run home run in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the White Sox.

Manager Mike Scioscia gave the majority of his regulars the night off after being eliminated from playoff contention Wednesday, which afforded Perez the opportunity to make his first start since joining the majors Sept. 1. It was the 26-year-old's first homer of the 2017 campaign. He should return to the bench Friday in favor of Martin Maldonado.

Perez was removed from Thursday's game with left groin soreness.

His status for the final series of the season is up in the air. Perez has been banged up throughout the second half, even requiring a DL stint for an intercostal strain in August, but he still ranks fifth among all catchers in games played this season (129) despite the missed time.

Maldonado is out of the lineup against Chicago on Thursday, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.

Maldonado retreats to the bench following four straight starts behind the plate, going 5-for-13 with a pair of doubles during that span. In his place, Carlos Perez will handle the catching duties.

Contreras is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Cardinals.

The Cubs clinched the NL Central on Wednesday, so they're resting all of their starters for Thursday's series finale. Alex Avila will take over behind the dish for Contreras, batting cleanup.

Barnhart is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Brewers, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Barnhart will retreat to the bench for a breather after starting seven straight games behind the dish, going 6-for-25 (.240) with a homer over that span. Stuart Turner will take over as the team's backstop in his stead, batting eighth.

Nicholas went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in Wednesday's 12-2 loss to the Astros.

Nicholas was making just his eighth appearance and fifth start of September, during which he's gone 6-for-20 at the dish. With primary backstop Robinson Chirinos sitting out with a hamstring injury Wednesday and likely to be shut down for the season, Nicholas should pick up at least a couple more starts before the season winds down. No. 3 catcher A.J. Jimenez should also receive a turn behind the plate.

Barnes went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, two RBI and two runs in a 10-0 win against the Padres on Wednesday.

Barnes has arguably been the best backup catcher in the game this year, as this effort lifted his season OPS to .907 -- a much higher figure than the .769 that No. 1 backstop Yasmani Grandal is sporting. As such, Barnes makes for an appealing DFS play when he draws into the lineup.

D'Arnaud went 1-for-5 with three RBI in a 7-1 win over the Braves on Wednesday.

He brought a run in when he reached on an error and then two more with a two-run single. Somewhat obscured by the brutal campaign the Mets have endured as a team, d'Arnaud's bounced back nicely after a rough 2016 -- he's set new career bests in homers (16) and RBI (57), and if not for a depressed BABIP, he'd be helping owners out in batting average too.

Grandal is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Padres, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Grandal has homered twice in the past three games, but he'll get the day off after starting five of the last six contests behind the dish. Austin Barnes will take over as the team's backstop in his stead, batting seventh.

Perez is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Tigers, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

As expected, Perez will get the night off as the Royals have been knocked out of playoff contention. Drew Butera will start behind the dish and hit ninth. After Wednesday's night off, the Royals are expected to start Perez for the remainder of the 2017 season.