MLB Player News

After exceeding a .300 batting average in each of his first two seasons with the Royals, Salvador Perez has slumped his way to a .259 average in his first 13 games this year.

Perez is one of the majors' best contact hitters, but he's already struck out 10 times this year, as compared to 27 times in 289 at-bats last season.

Perez is a good bet to start making contact at a higher rate again, and he even has a little home run power to boot. He's sitting on the bench in 18 percent of the leagues on CBSSports.com, but at least in Rotisserie leagues, Perez needs to be trusted with an active roster spot for now.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez started a 14th straight game behind the plate Wednesday at Atlanta. He ended up going 1 for 4 with two runners left on base.

Perez has hit safely in seven of his last eight games. He's batting .344 (11 for 32) with two RBI and three doubles in that span.

Yankees catcher Chris Stewart started for the first time in five games Tuesday against the Diamondbacks. While manager Joe Girardi said he would rotate catchers in April, Francisco Cervelli has started eight times and Stewart four times through the team's first 12 games.

Stewart had his first multi-hit game Tuesday, going 2 for 4 with one run. Stewart is batting .286 (4 for 14) in five games. He has no extra-base hits or RBI.

Indians catcher Yan Gomes will make his second-consecutive start Thursday.

Carlos Santana is nursing a bruised thumb and is day-to-day. Gomes was slated to start Wednesday against the Yankees, but it was postponed. He'll fill in as the primary catcher until Santana returns. 

When Carlos Santana injured his thumb on a Chris Perez pitch Monday night, there was suddenly a surge in views of Lou Marson's page. Moments after Marson replaced Santana in the game, he was also injured. And Tuesday, with Marson going on the DL, Yan Gomes was recalled by the Indians. 

Gomes has some decent power and average potential, but his value could come from just getting playing time -- with Santana experiencing residual soreness in the thumb or aggravating the injury. In an AL-only league, where the waier wire is thin, Gomes could be a decent add, but with the caveat that he's eligibile only at first base, and will need to make five appearances at catcher in most leagues to get eligibility. 

But with Marson on the DL for at least 15 days, and Santana a little banged up, Gomes could get those five appearances quicker than usual (for instance, he's starting Tuesday against the Yankees). And if that happens, it means he's playing enough to merit some CI/DH consideration in AL-only formats. 

The Indians recalled Yan Gomes from Triple-A Columbus after placing backup catcher Lou Marson on the disabled list with a neck strain. Gomes was immediately inserted into the starting lineup Tuesday against the Yankees.

Gomes hit .286 (4 for 14) with two doubles and two RBI in four games for Columbus.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez has struggled early in the season for Kansas City. He began breaking out of his slump Monday in the team's home-opening win over the Twins. 

Perez singled twice in the game as he finished 2 for 4 in the 3-1 win. That raised his batting average to .200 on the year and snapped an 0-for-8 stretch over his previous two games. Perez has at least one base hit in five of his seven games played this year, but has yet to drive in a run. 

Yankees manager Joe Girardi hasn't changed his mind about rotating catchers Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart the first month of the season. Cervelli, however, did start consecutive games Saturday and Sunday before Stewart returned to the starting lineup Monday.

"Just keeping them both involved," Girardi said. "I think that's important. As I said, the first month I’ll play it out. Stewart’s at-bats have been pretty good too. Stewie’s hit the ball pretty hard too. This first time through, I’m kind of giving them the same guys twice so there’s some consistency and you can build off that."

Royals catcher Salvador Perez has started off his season with a modest two-game hitting streak as he singled Wednesday in Chicago. 

The Kansas City backstop has gone 1 for 4 in each game and is batting .250 to this point with two singles. The Royals have scored just two runs in two games against the White Sox. 

The 22-year-old Perez hit .379 this spring with two homers and 12 RBI over 58 at-bats. He homered 11 times over 289 at-bats last year through 76 games. 

Yankees catcher Chris Stewart will get his first start behind the plate Wednesday against the Red Sox and Clay Buchholz, the club announced.

Manager Joe Girardi said he expects to use an "even split" with Stewart and opening day catcher Francisco Cervelli. Expect the Yankees to stick with the even split unless one gains the hot hand as May approaches.