MLB Player News

With his Thursday rehab assignment game finished, Indians catcher Yan Gomes will return to his team for Sunday's game against the Reds. 

Gomes went 2 for 4 in his rehab assignment Thursday night. 

Gomes sprained his MCL in April and has been on the DL since. Gomes has gone a total of 5 for 13 during his rehab assignment. 

"We just want to try and make a good decision," Indians manager Terry Francona said, via the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "Part of this is how important he is to us. I've said it before ... you want your catcher to be indispensable. That's probably the ultimate compliment to him. Then when they're not around, you find out that maybe they are."

Braves catcher Christian Bethancourt went 3 for 4 with two doubles, one RBI and two runs scored in his team's 10-1 win over the Brewers on Wednesday.

Bethancourt isn't known for his offense, but he helped key a seven-run seventh inning that decided the outcome of the game. He had managed just nine hits on the season before coming through with the big performance on Wednesday. The catcher has hit .190/.215/.286 with five RBI in 63 at-bats.

Indians catcher Yan Gomes went 2 for 4 in Thursday's rehab assignment game with Triple-A Columbus. 

Columbus lost to Gwinnett 6-1, with Gomes picking up two singles. Gomes was able to play the entire game. This puts Gomes at 5 for 13 during his rehab assignment.

Gomes was placed on the disabled list with a right MCL sprain. 

Tigers catcher James McCann played hero on Thursday, as he delivered a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning, as Detroit downed the Astros 6-5. The home run was his second of the season and his career.

"To be able to put a 'W' on the board, and be able to jog, is a lot nicer than having to sprint," McCann said, per MLB.com.

McCann has been getting the bulk of the playing time behind the plate with regular catcher Alex Avila on the disabled list.

McCann has been hitting well lately, as he's 9 for 25 over his last eight games. 

Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart will get a rest on Thursday against the Rangers, as he is being held out of the starting lineup. The rookie catcher has started each of the last four games, but he's starting to turn things around at the plate.

Swihart's been struggling offensively since his call-up on May 2, hitting just .170 on the year. But he has a hit in three of his last four games, so perhaps he is starting to adjust to Major League pitching.

Sandy Leon will spell Swihart behind the plate and bat ninth on Thursday.

Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski and left fielder Todd Cunningham are getting a rest and are being held out of the lineup on Thursday against the Brewers. 

Pierzynski had been behind the plate each of the last four games, but has struggled with the bat. He's hitting .185 (5 for 27) over his last seven games. He'll cede Thursday's start to rookie Christian Bethancourt.

Cunningham has been on a tear since being called up last week. In his first five games this season, the 26-year-old rookie is 9 for 19 with a pair of doubles. Nevertheless, he'll sit on Thursday with Jonny Gomes making the start in left while batting fifth.

The Brewers held catcher Juan Centeno out of Thursday's game at Atlanta and will start Martin Maldonado instead, the team announced.

"He's caught a lot more than he's used to but I don't think he's wearing down," manager Craig Counsell said, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "He's had some bad luck, almost on a nightly basis but he hasn't swung the bat the way he's capable of."

Maldonado was also held out of Sunday's game in order to rest. He is hitting .149 in 94 at-bats this season, while Centeno is batting .077 in 13 at-bats. Centeno will bat seventh and face Julio Teheran, who he has never faced.

The Brewers are the underdogs (+120) at Atlanta on Thursday

Indians catcher Yan Gomes is feeling positive after going seven innings in a rehab assignment on Wednesday, according to Fox Sports.

"It was really good," said Gomes. "I felt good (back there) even in the seventh inning. It was a pretty positive day. There was no position I was getting myself into that was holding me back."

Gomes went 1 for 2 in three plate appearances, and in his four rehab games has gone 3 for 9 with a run scored.

Gomes is on the disabled list with a sprain in his right MCL. 

Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz is being held out of the starting lineup for Thursday's afternoon game against Rockies. Ruiz has started each of the last three games, but will take a rest with a day game following a night game.

Cameron Rupp will get the start behind the plate for manager Ryne Sandberg on Thursday

With Mets starting catcher Travis d'Arnaud getting closer to returning from the disabled list, the Mets' front office is going to have a decision to make about fellow young backstop Kevin Plawecki. 

Plawecki has been receiving the bulk of the playing time behind the plate since d'Arnaud was placed on the disabled list after suffering a broken finger on April 19. He's performed admirably in his first stint as a Major League catcher. He's batting just .217 with two homers so far, but his work on defense and with the Mets' pitching staff has gotten the attention of his skipper, according to the New York Post.

“He’s done great, he has played very well,” manager Terry Collins said before Wednesday night’s game. “He’s caught the ball very well, he’s blocked the ball very well, he’s actually thrown better. He threw out (speedy Marlins second baseman) Dee Gordon, and that’s a big assignment for anybody."

But with d'Arnaud nearing a rehab assignment, a decision is going to have to be made whether or not to send Plawecki back down to Triple-A when the time comes.

“That is going to be a tough call,” Collins said. “When Travis comes back, you are looking at two guys who both should be playing. That’s hard to do when both have to be out there.”