MLB Player News

Fermin went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Red Sox.

Fermin is 9-for-28 (.321) with three homers, two doubles and five RBI over seven games in August. With Salvador Perez seeing more time at first base, Fermin has been able to carve out a larger role behind the plate. The catcher is slashing a strong .303/.339/.542 with nine long balls, 27 RBI, 22 runs scored, eight doubles and a triple over 166 plate appearances this season, suggesting his recent success is more than a flash in a pan. That said, Fermin has a .342 BABIP on the year, so he's also had a decent share of good luck.

Raleigh went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Padres.

Raleigh broke things open with a go-ahead blast in the eighth inning that sparked a five-run rally for the Mariners. The catcher has gone a modest 7-for-31 (.226) over his last nine games, but he has five homers and eight RBI in that span. For the season, Raleigh is slashing .227/.311/.448 with 19 long balls, 49 RBI, 53 runs scored, 16 doubles and a triple over 99 contests.

Mejia (knee) could resume on-field activities Friday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

If all goes well this weekend, Mejia could play in minor-league rehab games early next week. Rays manager Kevin Cash suggested the catcher could then rejoin the major-league roster by the tail end of the club's upcoming road trip or when the team returns home Aug. 22. Mejia, who has a .658 OPS and five home runs this season, figures to operate as the clear No. 2 behind Christian Bethancourt upon his return.

Grandal (knee) will start at catcher and bat seventh in Wednesday's game against the Yankees.

Grandal was lifted after five innings in Tuesday's 7-1 loss due to a sore left knee, but the injury won't be significant enough to keep him on the bench for the series finale. The veteran backstop will take a .683 OPS -- the second-lowest mark of his career -- into Wednesday's contest.

Perez (thumb) filled the designated hitter role in Triple-A Las Vegas' win over Sacramento on Tuesday, going 0-for-4 with an RBI groundout before being pinch-hit for in the eighth inning.

Perez jumped back into game action for the first time since July 1 and appeared to get through his four plate appearances without issue. The veteran will likely test out his recovering thumb on defense as the next step in his rehab assignment and could be back up with the big-league club before the middle of August.

Naylor is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Blue Jays.

Naylor started five of Cleveland's last six contests but had just one hit over that stretch. Cam Gallagher will handle catching duties Wednesday while Naylor rests.

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

Bethancourt will be getting a breather Wednesday after he started at catcher in three of the Rays' last four games. Rene Pinto will step in behind the dish and form a battery with starting pitcher Jalen Beeks.

Rogers is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest versus the Twins.

Eric Haase will do the catching for Alex Faedo after Rogers started the last two games and homered in Tuesday's contest. Rogers has gone deep twice so far in August to push his season total to 14.

Wong is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Royals, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

He'll take a seat Wednesday while Reese McGuire gets the nod behind the plate, catching for starting pitcher Nick Pivetta. Wong started in both of the first two games of the series, going 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI.

Heim (wrist) could be activated from the 10-day injured list early on in the Rangers' upcoming homestand, which begins Aug. 14, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Heim will face live pitching for the second day in a row Wednesday and looks to be progressing ahead of schedule as he works his way back from a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist. The injury has sidelined Heim since late July. The switch-hitting catcher is in line to bat only left-handed initially upon his return in order to protect his wrist.