MLB Player News

Royals catcher Salvador Perez is not in the team's starting lineup Tuesday against the Orioles.

Perez will be replaced by George Kottaras, who will seventh. Perez has started the last four games, and is likely receiving a routine day off. Perez is hitting .282/.314/.393 in 298 at-bats. 

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson reaffirmed Monday the team is hopeful catcher prospect Travis d'Arnaud will make an appearance in the majors in September. d'Arnaud, who has been sidelined since mid-April with a broken foot, was cleared to resume playing in games Monday.

"We need to see him play for a while," Alderson said, per the New York Post. "We only have 2 1/2 months left of the season. Hopefully he stays healthy ... and we get to see him a little bit here in September."

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco was a big-time contributor during Monday's 11-0 win at San Francisco. Mesoraco tallied three hits, including one double and one home run, drove in two runs and scored twice in the win.

Mesoraco is having one of his best months of the season in July. He is batting .324 (12 for 37) with one home run, three doubles, three runs, four RBI and four walks in 11 games (10 starts).

A team source said Mets catcher prospect Travis d'Arnaud (foot) has been cleared to begin playing in minor-league games later this week, per ESPN. d'Arnaud received the clearance after a medical exam in New York Monday.

d'Arnaud, who has been sidelined since mid-April with a broken foot, will run the bases Tuesday and Wednesday before playing in a game Thursday. He will start out playing for Class A St. Lucie before returning to the PCL.

d'Arnaud is expected to be a September call-up, per ESPN.

The Mets are hopeful catcher prospect Travis d'Arnaud, who has been sidelined since mid-April with a broken foot, will be cleared to begin a Class A rehab assignment next week, according to the New York Post. The Mets also hope d'Arnaud will be back with Triple-A Las Vegas by Aug. 1.

Giants catcher Hector Sanchez (shoulder) began a rehab assignment with Class A San Jose Wednesday. Sanchez was hitless in four at-bats, striking out twice.

Mets catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud will meet with a team doctor Monday, according to ESPN.

If that goes well, d'Arnaud would be cleared to start playing in minor-league games. He's been out since April 17 after fracturing a bone in his foot. In 12 games, d'Arnaud hit .250/.429/.472 at Triple-A Las Vegas. 

After batting .314 in 65 games for low Class A Savannah, Mets catcher prospect Kevin Plawecki is off to a stellar start for high Class A St. Lucie, batting .365 in 21 games.

"I got off to a hot start, and I've been able to carry it on from there," Plawecki told MLB.com.

The 2012 first-round pick has one home run, six doubles and 18 RBI with St. Lucie. For the season, he is batting .326 with a .492 slugging percentage, .891 OPS, one triple, seven home runs, 30 doubles and 61 RBI in 86 games.

Plawecki has improved his status after entering the season ranked as the Mets' 17th-best prospect by MLB.com.

"I work hard on my catching," Plawecki said. "Being a good receiver and establishing a relationship with your pitchers are important. For a catcher, hitting is a bonus."

Mets catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud has been able to do participate in all baseball activities up to playing in a game, manager Terry Collins told ESPN.com Friday.

"He's hitting. He's throwing," Terry Collins said. "He's catching in the pens. He's doing everything except playing right now."

D'Arnaud, who is recovering from a broken foot, still feels some discomfort while running. Once he recovers from that, he will likely begin playing in minor-league games. 

Royals catcher Salvador Perez returned to the starting lineup Thursday against the Yankees. 

Perez has missed two games recently with leg tightness. He'll catch and bat fifth against Andy Pettitte. Perez is hitting .292/.316/.406 in 271 at-bats.