MLB Player News

Langeliers went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in Saturday's 7-3 win over the Angels.

Langeliers' power has surged in September -- he hit six of his 22 homers this season during the month despite batting a meager .194 average (14-for-72) over his last 23 games. The catcher's blast put the Athletics ahead for good Saturday. Langeliers is at a .205/.268/.413 slash line with 63 RBI, 52 runs scored, 19 doubles, four triples and three stolen bases through 135 contests in his first full major-league season.

Alvarez went 2-for-3 with a walk, two home runs, a third run scored and six RBI in an 11-4 win over the Phillies during the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.

It was a big day for Mets catchers, as Omar Narvaez launched his second homer of the season in the matinee, but Alvarez was the star of the show in the nightcap. The 21-year-old slugged both his long balls off Michael Plassmeyer -- a two-run shot in the second inning and a grand slam in the third, the first of his young career. Alvarez is up to 25 homers in 122 games in his first full big-league season, and his .211/.285/.439 slash line figures to improve as he matures given his 77th percentile barrel rate and 91st percentile max exit velocity in 2023.

Realmuto isn't in the Phillies' lineup for the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Mets.

Realmuto will get a breather to conclude Saturday's activities after going 2-for-3 and with a run during the Game 1 loss. Garrett Stubbs will fill in behind the plate and bat seventh.

Smith will be on the bench Saturday against the Giants.

Smith sits for the second time in three days, with the Dodgers seemingly prioritizing rest in the final week of the regular season. He's one homer shy of his third straight 20-homer campaign but will have to wait until the final game of the season to try for it, unless he appears as a pinch hitter Saturday. Austin Barnes will start behind the plate in Smith's absence, catching for Clayton Kershaw.

Wells will sit Saturday against the Royals, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Wells has three homers and eight RBI across his last four games, but his slash line through his first 18 big-league contests still sits at an unimpressive .197/.229/.439. Kyle Higashioka will crouch behind the plate Saturday.

The Padres placed Campusano on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a right ankle sprain.

Campusano's injury could help explain why he's missed each of the Padres' last four games, and it will officially keep him out for the final two. The 25-year-old backstop put up a .319/.356/.491 slash line through 174 plate appearances in 2023, and he projects as San Diego's primary catcher for 2024.

Wong will be on the bench Saturday against Baltimore, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Wong hits the bench after starting three games in a row behind the plate. Near the end of his first season as a big-league regular, the 27-year-old owns a .237/.290/.390 slash line. Reese McGuire will get the nod behind the plate.

Rutschman (illness) is starting at catcher and batting second Saturday against Boston.

Rutschman was scratched from the lineup ahead of Friday's game due to illness, but the issue seems to have subsided ahead of Saturday's contest. The 25-year-old backstop has gone 7-for-17 with a homer and four RBI over his last five games and will attempt to remain hot as the Orioles prepare for a postseason run.

Alvarez will sit for the first half of Saturday's doubleheader against the Phillies, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Alvarez won't be asked to start twice in one day but could still get one or two more starts in before the end of the year. After hitting .238/.295/.514 in the first half, he's managed just a .168/.263/.305 line since the break, though his overall 93 wRC+ and 23 homers makes for a more than adequate performance from a 21-year-old catcher. Omar Narvaez will crouch behind the plate Saturday afternoon.

The Mets recalled Perez from Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday.

Perez will come up from the minors to give the Mets a bench bat as Brandon Nimmo (shoulder) lands on the injured list. Perez played two games with the Mets in May, going 4-for-7 with a run scored. With Francisco Alvarez and Omar Narvaez already on the big-league roster, Perez's chances of starting one of New York's final games are low.