MLB Player News

The knee sprain plaguing Indians catcher Yan Gomes was supposed to sideline him 6-8 weeks, but Terry Francona is encouraged by his progress.

"He's going so fast through this that the trainers are like, 'It shouldn't be this fast," Francona told the Northeast Ohio Media Group. "But he has been kind of an animal, which I don't think is shocking. I don't know if you can ever make someone heal quicker, but if hard work and intensity mean anything, he's going to be better."

Gomes did some jogging and throwing Friday and will travel with the team to Kansas City next week. He is scheduled to be out about another month.

"It's a good feeling when you have a guy that's that good that cares that much about coming back," Francona said, via MLB.com. "He wants to travel, because he wants to be with his teammates. Those are things that maybe help me feel better when you need a little bit of help."

Catcher Brett Hayes will start and bat eighth for the Indians in Friday's game against the Blue Jays. 

Hayes is replacing usual starter Roberto Perez in the lineup. This will be Hayes' third start of the season. He's only recorded one hit in 11 at-bats. 

The rest of the Indians lineup is unchanged from Thursday's game against Toronto. 

The Royals are hoping to be able to keep left fielder Alex Gordon with the team long-term, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman. Gordon currently has a player option for 2016, valued at $13.25 million, though expecations are he will decline the option and look to secure a bigger contract.

Gordon, a Nebraska-native, is currently batting .303 with three home runs and 13 RBI in his first 19 games of the 2015 season. 

The Royals are also considering a contract extension for catcher Salvador Perez, who is currently signed through 2016 (with club options for 17-19). Though as Heyman notes, they will likely wait until the offseason to begin theoe discussions.

Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart and outfielder Billy Hamilton each hit a home run in Thursday night's 5-1 win over the Braves. 

Barnhart hit a solo home run on a 3-2 pitch to start the top of the seventh inning. It was Barnhart's second home run of the season. He's now hitting .231/.286/.692 after going 1 for 4 against Atlanta. 

Hamilton hit his home run in the top of the ninth inning, also giving him his second of the season. Hamilton went 1 for 5 and is now hitting .217//.278/.349. 

Reds backup catcher Brayan Pena is giving way to his backup Thursday night for the second straight game.

Pena, who has been behind the plate with Devin Mesoraco on the mend, is set to sit in Atlanta. Tucker Barnhart is in the lineup instead.

An 0-for-2 performance Tuesday ended a six-game hitting streak for Pena.

Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski was given a day off on Thursday, after catching the previous three games. Pierzynski has been hot at the plate lately, batting .455 (10 for 22) with nine RBI in his last six games.

Christian Bethancourt got the start behind the dish for the Braves, and left fielder Kelly Johnson was inserted into the cleanup spot in the lineup against the Reds on Thursday, the team announced.

Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal was dropped from fifth in the batting order to seventh in the team's new-look lineup for Wednesday's game against the Giants.

Manager Don Mattingly said Wednesday that he spoke with Grandal last weeked about simplifying his approach at the plate in order to help kickstart his offense, MLB.com reports.

"I told him to simplify -- get good pitches, hit the ball hard," Mattingly said. "We'll try to move him a little bit to get to that. If we can simplify, he'll be fine. I feel like he's trying really hard."

Grandal has hit just .196/.317/.294 with one home run and two RBI in 51 at-bats coming into Wednesday's game.

Indians catcher Roberto Perez came a triple short of a cycle Wednesday, going 3 for 3 with a walk, a double, a home run and two RBI in his team's 7-5 win over the Royals.

Perez tied the game with his RBI double in the sixth inning and scored the go-ahead run on a subsequent double by the next batter. He then extended the lead on a solo home run in the eighth. The home run was his third of the season but the double was the first for Perez, who has hit .225/.319/.475 with six RBI in 40 at-bats.

Tigers catcher James McCann is certainly no speed demon, but he did something Wednesday that many burners on the bases have never done. He hit an inside-the-park home run.

"I've never run that far in a baseball game before," McCann said.

McCann blasted one that got away in deep right-center in Minnesota and he circled the bases to drive in two runs and tie a game his team eventually won. It capped a fine game for McCann, who had already doubled in a run. He later singled.

The 24 year old had not been tearing it up at the plate, but the three-hit game gives him five in his last nine at-bats and raises his average to .258.

Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart hit his first home run of the season during Wednesday's 8-3 loss to the Brewers.

Barnhart finished the game 1 for 2 with one walk. Barnhart has been filling in for Devin Mesoraco, who has been dealing with a hip injury. Barnhart has made three starts this season and is 2 for 9.