MLB Player News
-
Ali Sanchez C | BOS
Red Sox's Ali Sanchez: Clears waivers
Sanchez cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Worcester on Thursday.
Sanchez lost his roster spot Monday and went unclaimed on waivers. He'll likely spend the rest of the season with Worcester, though he could be a depth option for the big-league club.
-
Yainer Diaz C | HOU
Astros' Yainer Diaz: Goes yard Thursday
Diaz went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 7-2 win over the Orioles.
Diaz provided the Astros' last runs of the game in the third inning. He's been fairly steady of late, going 11-for-35 (.314) with two homers and five RBI over his last nine games. For the season, the catcher is up to 18 homers, 55 RBI, 46 runs scored, one stolen base and a .254/.283/.419 slash line across 114 games.
-
Adley Rutschman C | BAL
Orioles' Adley Rutschman: Lands on IL with strained oblique
The Orioles placed Rutschman on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a mild right oblique strain, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Rutschman missed time earlier this season with a left oblique strain, and now he'll be down at least until late August after tweaking his other oblique. Samuel Basallo is doing the catching for the Orioles on Thursday and will be the everyday guy behind the dish while Rutschman is out.
-
Jonah Heim C | TEX
Rangers' Jonah Heim: Nabbing sixth straight start
Heim will start at catcher and bat ninth in Thursday's game against the Royals.
Heim will be included in the lineup for a sixth straight game, but he's likely to see his playing time tail off after Kyle Higashioka returned to the starting nine behind the plate in Wednesday's 6-3 win. Before playing Wednesday, Higashioka had missed out on three consecutive starts due to a hamstring injury, and though he's out of the lineup Thursday, his absence appears to be mostly for maintenance purposes as the Rangers wrap up their series in Kansas City with a day game. Heim will head into the series finale with a four-game hitting streak, but Higashioka has been the far more productive hitter of the two catchers since the All-Star break, posting a .902 OPS to Heim's .654 mark over that same stretch.
-
Kyle Higashioka C | TEX
Rangers' Kyle Higashioka: Resting for day game
Higashioka is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Royals.
After missing three straight starts due to a hamstring injury, Higashioka returned to the lineup for Wednesday's 6-3 win and made his presence felt with a tie-breaking three-run double in the top of the ninth. Higashioka will rest for the day game after a night game, but he should settle back in as the Rangers' primary backstop now that the hamstring issue is seemingly behind him.
-
Shea Langeliers C | ATH
Athletics' Shea Langeliers: Idle for series finale
Langeliers is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Twins.
Langeliers had started every game at either catcher or designated hitter since the All-Star break, so he'll get a well overdue day off as the Athletics close out their series in Minnesota. Willie MacIver will receive a turn behind the dish Thursday.
-
Austin Wells C | NYY
Yankees' Austin Wells: Smacks two homers in Tampa
Wells went 2-for-4 with two solo home runs in Wednesday's 6-4 extra-inning win over the Rays.
Wells took Drew Rasmussen deep in the fifth inning, then went back-to-back with Giancarlo Stanton in the 10th off Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks. The backstop has been losing playing time lately to Ben Rice due to a slump that had seen him bat just .119 (7-for-59) since the All-Star break, but Wednesday's breakout -- Wells' first multi-hit performance since July 9 -- might be a sign he's ready to reclaim No. 1 duties behind the plate.
-
Ryan Jeffers C | MIN
Twins' Ryan Jeffers: Resting up Thursday
Jeffers is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics.
Jeffers had started behind the plate in each of the Twins' last four games, so he'll be getting a routine breather Thursday as Minnesota closes out its series against the Athletics with a day game. Mickey Gasper will handle catching duties for the Twins and will form a battery with starting pitcher Jose Urena.
-
Kyle Higashioka C | TEX
Rangers' Kyle Higashioka: Provides game-winning knock
Higashioka went 1-for-4 with a three-run double in Wednesday's 6-3 win over the Royals.
Higashioka, who sat out the previous four contests with a hamstring injury, returned to the lineup and provided the key hit in the win. His ninth-inning double cleared the bases. Higashioka's batting just .206 (7-for-34) over 10 games this month, but he's managed to make in impact with nine RBI over the stretch.
-
Christian Vazquez C | MIN
Twins' Christian Vazquez: Has surgery for shoulder infection
Vazquez underwent surgery due to remove an infection from his left shoulder and will remain at his home in Florida for about two more weeks, MLB.com reports. He will be on a course of antibiotics for three weeks.
The Twins haven't ruled out Vazquez from returning this season, but that seems like a long shot given his treatment schedule and with the Twins out of the playoff hunt.