MLB Player News

Ruiz is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals.

Ruiz remains part of a timeshare at catcher with Drew Millas, as the two backstops have alternated starts behind the plate through the Nationals' first 12 games. Neither player has done much to separate himself from the other, with Ruiz posting a .563 OPS to Millas' .509.

Vivas is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals.

After picking up starts in all three games of the Nationals' series versus the Dodgers over the weekend, Vivas has been on the bench for the entire three-game set versus the Cardinals. Despite posting a .934 OPS over 23 plate appearances to begin the season, Vivas looks like he'll have to settle for a utility role while Washington has all of its key infielders available.

Pages is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game in Washington.

Pages will get a breather for the afternoon game after starting behind the plate in three of the Cardinals' previous four contests. Ivan Herrera will handle catching duties in the series finale.

Schmitt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.

After a tight back kept him out of action for four straight games, Schmitt returned to the lineup at designated hitter in Tuesday's 6-0 win and went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored. Prior to Tuesday, Schmitt had made each of his seven starts this season at first base, but the Giants likely won't have much of a need for him at that position now after Rafael Devers recently received clearance to play the field on a more regular basis. Schmitt could be ticketed for more of a utility infield role moving forward.

Encarnacion will start in left field and bat seventh in Wednesday's game against the Phillies.

Though he'll be playing left field in place of a resting Heliot Ramos, Encarnacion appears to have taken on a more regular role at designated hitter now that Rafael Devers has been cleared to play first base on a more frequent basis. Encarnacion will stick in the San Francisco lineup for a sixth consecutive game after producing exactly one hit in each of his previous five starts.

The Phillies designated Curet for assignment Wednesday.

The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of outfielder Steward Berroa, who was acquired via trade with Milwaukee. Curet was a waiver claim of the Phillies over the offseason and made three appearances in spring training, but he's yet to pitch since the minor-league season began. The 23-year-old has erratic control but a big arm, which could be enough for another organization to scoop him up off waivers.

The Phillies acquired Berroa (shoulder) from the Brewers on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations.

Berroa had been designated for assignment and will now join the Phillies' 40-man roster. The 26-year-old got a late start to this season while battling a right shoulder strain, but he's healthy now and will report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he'll give the Phillies some outfield depth.

Steer is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins.

Steer has gone 1-for-11 with five strikeouts over his last three contests, so he'll get a day off to regroup. Will Benson will cover left field and Noelvi Marte will be in right field as the Reds aim for their sixth straight victory.

Julien will start at second base and bat leadoff in Wednesday's game against the Astros.

Julien will handle leadoff duties for a third straight contest and appears to have at least temporarily claimed a spot in the Rockies' starting nine against right-handed pitching while Jake McCarthy (.385 OPS) and Jordan Beck (.268 OPS) are struggling. With a .513 OPS in 20 plate appearances, Julien has been only marginally better, and he'll likely need to raise his production to ensure he sticks in the lineup on a long-term basis.

McCarthy is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Astros.

The Rockies have faced right-handed starters in every game so far this season, but that hasn't been enough for the left-handed-hitting McCarthy to hold down a full-time role. After struggling to a .120/.185/.200 batting line through his first 28 plate appearances with the Rockies, McCarthy will stay on the bench for a second straight game. The slumping Jordan Beck (.268 OPS in 27 plate appearances) will also hit the bench, with both he and McCarthy having started to cede more opportunities to Troy Johnston and Edouard Julien.