MLB Player News

Kirk is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the White Sox.

Danny Jansen is handling catching duties and Brandon Belt is serving as the Blue Jays' designated hitter, closing off Kirk's two avenues to playing time. Kirk is most likely just receiving a breather after he started at either catcher or DH each of the previous three days.

McCann is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Red Sox.

McCann is back on the bench after he had been included in the lineup each of the past three days, making two starts at catcher and one as a designated hitter. The Orioles' lack of an everyday DH means that manager Brandon Hyde will likely continue to rotate several players at that spot, including No. 1 catcher Adley Rutschman. As such, McCann could continue to play more than most No. 2 catchers around the league, though he's still unlikely to see enough playing time to warrant attention outside of AL-only leagues.

Wong is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Orioles, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

With Reese McGuire (hand) cleared to start Tuesday, Wong will get a breather after starting behind the plate each of the past three days. Wong still looks like Boston's nominal No. 1 catcher, though his pedestrian .549 OPS could soon cost him playing time since McGuire (.850 OPS) has soundly outperformed him at the dish.

McGuire (hand) will start at catcher and bat ninth in Tuesday's game in Baltimore, Tyler Milliken of 98.5 The Sports Hub Boston reports.

McGuire was out of commission for a couple days after taking a foul tip off the hand, but he's fine. He'll catch starting pitcher Corey Kluber on Tuesday while No. 1 backstop Connor Wong gets a breather.

Bethancourt went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored Monday against the Astros.

Bethancourt started the season in an even split behind the plate with Francisco Mejia, but the former has now started six of the last eight games behind the plate. He's earned that extra run, as he's in the midst of an eight-game hitting streak, during which he's hit .400 with three homers, eight RBI and seven runs scored. Overall, Bethancourt has maintained a 170 wRC+ and a .409 wOBA across 54 plate appearances on the campaign.

O'Hoppe (shoulder) is set to undergo surgery on his torn labrum Tuesday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

O'Hoppe is expected to miss 4-to-6 months after being diagnosed with the tear over the weekend. The 23-year-old could return to the Angels before the end of the season, but is just as likely -- if not more so -- to not return to the Angels in 2024.

Heim is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Reds.

After making four consecutive starts behind the plate, Heim will get a day off as the Rangers open a three-game set in Cincinnati. Sandy Leon will draw the start at catcher and will bat eighth Monday.

Langeliers went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in a loss to the Rangers on Sunday.

The young backstop's 433-foot blast to left in the fifth inning with Jordan Diaz aboard accounted for all of Oakland's runs on the day. Langeliers has only a .234 average and .310 on-base percentage through 71 plate appearances, but the fact he's accrued six extra-base hits (two doubles, four homers) has his slugging percentage at a respectable .453.

McGuire (hand) could be available in an emergency Sunday against the Brewers, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

The 28-year-old took a foul tip to the right hand during Saturday's contest but had X-rays come back negative, and it appears he won't require a stint on the injured list. The Red Sox may try to stay away from McGuire for a day or two, but the team may not need to add a third catcher to the roster since he's still technically available.

O'Hoppe was diagnosed with a torn labrum in his left shoulder Sunday and is expected to face a 4-to-6 month recovery after undergoing surgery, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

The 23-year-old suffered the injury Thursday against the Yankees on an awkward swing, and he's now poised to miss most, if not the entirety, of the rest of the 2023 season. It's a horrible break for O'Hoppe and the Angels, as he was off to a strong start to his rookie campaign with a .283/.339/.547 slash line and four home runs in 16 games. Max Stassi (hip) is also still on the injured list, leaving Matt Thaiss and Chad Wallach to handle catching duties for the Halos.