MLB Player News

Royals catcher Salvador Perez didn't get the day off Thursday against the Twins, but may receive one over the weekend, manager Ned Yost told reporters, per the Kansas City Star.

Perez is off to a fast start, hitting .364/.382/.667 with a double, three homers, nine RBI, a stolen base and a walk over his first 33 at-bats. When Perez does receive a day of rest, Yost will likely give Erik Kratz a start. Kratz has yet to receive an at-bat this season.

Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud moved into the No. 2 spot in the batting order Wednesday against the Phillies after the team placed David Wright, who hit second in the first eight games on the disabled list. At least for one night, d'Arnaud proved he can handle the responsibility of hitting near the top of the batting order.

d'Arnaud hit his first home run of the season, and went 2 for 4 with two runs and one walk in a 6-1 win.

"I thought Travis did a great job," manager Terry Collins said, per NJ.com. "Everybody's wondering who you hit in David's spot and Travis went in there and did a great job."

Collins also praised d'Arnaud for the turnaround he's experienced since returning from a demotion to the minors last summer.

"I think one thing that helped Travis in the second half, and I'm going to give him all the credit, he figured out what he has to do to have success here," Collins said. "One of the things is to be aggressive early. We've seen what he can do when he hits. You've got to coincide that with making sure your pitch selection is pretty good, but after the second half last year I think he has confidence in his own ability."

Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud hit his first home run of the 2015 season in Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Phillies. 

D'Arnaud's homer came in the bottom of the third inning. He finished the game 2 for 4 and had a single. He also drew a walk. D'Arnaud now holds a slash line of .333/.364/.533. 

Mets first baseman hit his first home run of the 2015 season during Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Phillies. 

Duda hit the solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Duda also hit an RBI double to left center in the bottom of the sixth. He knocked in Travis d'Arnaud for the Mets' sixth and final run of the game. Duda finished the game 2 for 5. 

"I believe Lucas Duda’s makeup has changed the last couple of years," Mets manager Terry Collins said, via the New York Daily News. "He knows he belongs and he can hit and put up big numbers here."

Duda now has four doubles and seven RBI this season.

Duda's slash line is now .353/.405/.559. 

The Reds gave one thumbs up and one thumbs down to ailing position players for their Wednesday night game against the host Cubs.

Catcher Devin Mesoraco remains out with a hip injury, but second baseman Brandon Phillips will remain in the lineup despite having taken a blow to a head in a collision Tuesday night. Phillips passed a concussion test, allowing him to play.

The Reds are hoping to have catcher Devin Mesoraco back in the lineup in a week or less, manager Bryan Price said, per the Cincinnati Enquirer. He has missed three straight games with a hip injury and remains in Cincinnati receiving treatment.

"We have to see how he comes through the treatment," Price said. "I think he was a bit better (Tuesday). Certainly Dr. (Tim Kremchek and (physical therapist) Christy (Sweeney) back in Cincinnati will have a lot more to say about it, but at least the initial report was it wasn't something that was going to necessitate a disabled-list deal.

"In my opinion, that's because you think it's going to be a week or less. If it's going to be week or longer, you have to consider the DL because that's a long time to play a man short."

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco was out of Tuesday's lineup with an ailing hip and is questionable for Wednesday, but manager Bryan Price said there's no plan of adding him to the disabled list "at this point."

Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton is back in the lineup Tuesday against the Cubs after sitting out Monday with a finger injury, the team announced. Hamilton picked up a sore index finger after sliding into second base in Sunday's game and manager Bryan Price gave him the day off.

Catcher Devin Mesoraco will miss his third straight game while nursing a hip injury, which Price hopes to be day to day. He is still in Cincinnati to rehab his sore hip and is not being considered for the disabled list as of yet, according to MLB.com.

The Reds are currently the underdogs (+145) against the Cubs Tuesday.

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco is considered "day-to-day" with his left hip injury after the team received results from his MRI, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Reds manager Bryan Price said Mesoraco will be back behind the plate "soon." He is not in Monday's lineup. 

Mesoraco was experiencing discomfort in his left hip, which caused him to sit out on Sunday until entering the game in the eighth inning. This season so far, Mesoraco is 2 for 21 with one stolen base and no extra-base hits.  

Dodgers infielders Juan Uribe (hamstring) and Justin Turner (finger) are not in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Mariners.

With both players still dealing with injury, Alex Guerrero, who went 3 for 5 with one home run and four RBI Sunday, will get another start at third base and bat sixth against Mariners lefty James Paxton.

The Dodgers are also keeping shortstop Jimmy Rollins, catcher Yasmani Grandal and left fielder Carl Crawford out of the starting lineup Monday. Darwin Barney will play shortstop and bat leadoff, Scott Van Slyke will man left field and bat fifth and A.J. Ellis will be behind the plate and bat eighth.