MLB Player News

Sanchez went 0-for-3 with a walk Sunday against Syracuse.

Through 13 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Sanchez is batting .250/.316/.519. He struggled during his opportunity to win a major league spot during spring training, losing the backup catching job to Austin Romine. Sanchez went 0-for-2 during his two plate appearances with the Yankees last season, but could earn a role with the major league club at some point in 2016.

McCann (ankle) caught a bullpen session Saturday and is scheduled to run the bases Sunday, MLive.com's Scott DeCamp reports.

Manager Brad Ausmus said McCann felt good after Saturday's session, and suggested the catcher could soon be ready for about a four-game rehab assignment in the coming days. McCann, who sprained his ankle on April 11, can be activated as soon as April 27, but it appears more likely he'll return a few days after that date.

Perez is out of the lineup Sunday against the Mariners.

Perez has gone a collective 0-for-9 while starting the last three games behind the dish, dropping his season batting average to .150. The Angels value Perez more for his defensive abilities, but he may need to show a little more aptitude with the bat if he hopes to hold off veteran Geovany Soto for playing time. Soto will start at catcher Sunday and has gotten off to a 6-for-19 (.316 average) start to the season.

Perez is out of the lineup Sunday against the Orioles, Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star reports.

Perez is one of the league's few iron men behind the plate, but manager Ned Yost will relent and give the workhorse a day off Sunday, marking his first absence from the lineup in six games. With Perez getting a breather, Drew Butera will make a rare start behind the plate and serve as the battery mate for Yordano Ventura.

Gomes is out of the lineup Sunday against the Tigers, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports.

Fresh off a monstrous 3-for-5 performance in Saturday's win in which he homered, doubled, and drove in five runs, Gomes will get a well-deserved day off. He'll be replaced by Carlos Perez behind the plate.

McCann (ankle) took batting practice and ran the bases on Friday and had no aftereffects, reports the Detroit Free Press.

McCann was placed on the 15-day disabled list April 12 after spraining his ankle in a game against the Pirates. He will likely be sent on a minor-league rehab assignment as early as this weekend and is eligible to return to the big club Wednesday. The key consideration will not be McCann's bat, but his ability to catch a full nine innings. He has already progressed to the point where he can throw from his knees to both first and second.

McCann (ankle) was able to play long toss Thursday, MLB.com's Jason Beck reports.

Thursday's activity represents a step forward in McCann's recovery from a sprained ankle. While things are moving in the right direction for him, he still needs to hit and run -- and possibly play in a rehab game or two -- before rejoining the big club.

After the game, Thole took responsibility for Wednesday's walk-off loss to the Orioles that ended on a passed ball in extra innings, MLB.com reports.

The passed ball came with Rule 5 pick Joe Biagini on the mound for Toronto. He went out of his way to protect the young reliever by taking responsibility for getting crossed up. It was a frustrating end to an otherwise solid game from the backup catcher, who only plays when R.A. Dickey gets the start.

Gomes is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Mariners, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.

Gomes has been held out just one other time this season, but he will get a day off Thursday due to the early start time of the Indians' series finale with the Mariners. Roberto Perez will get the start behind the plate in Gomes' place.

Perez went 3-for-3 with a double, a homer and a walk in Wednesday's loss to Detroit.

That marks his second consecutive multi-hit game with a homer, so Perez is heating up in a hurry after a quiet first 12 games. Unfortunately, the catcher's efforts represented the bulk of the happy moments in this game for the Royals. Nonetheless, fantasy owners can feel secure in the knowledge that Perez's playing time and team context make him a strong addition to just about any lineup.