MLB Player News

Hedges (concussion) was activated from the 7-day disabled list and is starting at catcher and batting seventh during Sunday's game against the Pirates, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Hedges was placed on the 7-day DL on July 18 after being struck in the head with a foul ball. The backstop has passed his concussion testing and is set to rejoin the Padres lineup. He'll look to improve upon his .218 average moving forward.

Barnhart will start at catcher and bat eighth Sunday against the Marlins.

With Devin Mesoraco (knee) hurting again and considered day-to-day, Barnhart will check in behind the plate for the fourth time in five games. Even if Mesoraco doesn't require a trip to the disabled list for his latest injury setback, the Reds aren't eager to give him a heavy workload over the final two months of the season, so he and Barnhart should roughly split the starts behind the plate the rest of the way.

Sanchez is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rays.

After extending his hitting streak to four games with a home run and a double Saturday, Sanchez will receive a breather for the series finale before presumably rejoining the lineup when the Yankees resume their homestand Monday against the Tigers. Austin Romine will spell Sanchez behind the plate.

Mesoraco (knee) is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins.

Mesoraco was lifted from Saturday's contest after tweaking his knee in the sixth inning. With a scheduled off-day upcoming on Monday, the Reds will hold their starting catcher out of the lineup in order to give him ample time to rest his injured knee. Tucker Barnhart will fill in behind the plate and bat eighth.

Realmuto is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds, Andre Fernandez of the Miami Herald reports.

Realmuto has been red-hot of late -- collecting eight hits in his past four contests -- but he'll get the day off as the Marlins square off against Luis Castillo and the Reds. A.J. Ellis takes over behind the plate, batting second.

Vazquez went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored in Saturday's 9-8 extra-inning win over Kansas City.

Vazquez singled, doubled and tripled Saturday, his best offensive game in weeks. He entered the game having gone 4-for-37 (.108) over the past 14 games. Hitting is always the concern with Vazquez, who had held his own over the first half with a .267 average. He's a prime candidate for regression in the second half of the season.

Mesoraco tweaked his knee in Saturday's game against the Marlins, but the club doesn't think it's serious, Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Mesoraco was removed before the bottom of the sixth. With an afternoon game Sunday and an off day Monday, it would seem like a perfect opportunity for the Reds to give him some light rest, even if the injury proves to be as minor as the club expects. As such, consider him day-to-day and don't be surprised if Mesoraco isn't in Sunday's lineup.

Hedges (concussion) is expected to return from the 7-day disabled list Sunday.

While the move won't be made official until Sunday, Hedges' return will be a boon to the Padres' lineup. Fellow catcher Luis Torrens is a Rule 5 pick, so his roster spot will likely be safe upon Hedges' return. Hedges has popped 13 home runs in 243 at-bats this season and should resume regular catching duties upon his return.

Garver is hitting .272 with 15 home runs and a .897 OPS at Triple-A Rochester. He's also thrown out 30 percent of runners and is a candidate for a September call-up, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Garver showed promise last season with a .753 OPS at Double-A, but wasn't considered a top prospect since he was already 25. He's improved his power, drawn more walks, and is said to have improved his defense at Triple-A. He should contend for the backup role with the Twins next season as a result and could surprise. The recent trade of John Ryan Murphy makes him the top catcher in Rochester.

Realmuto went 3-for-4 with a walk, a double, a solo home run and a second run scored in Friday's 7-4 win over the Reds.

He's now set a new career high with 12 homers, and Realmuto is hitting a robust .385 (15-for-39) since the All-Star break with three home runs and eight RBI in 10 games. The 26-year-old catcher may not hit double-digit steals again in 2017, but he's otherwise proving he hasn't yet reached his fantasy ceiling.