MLB Player News

Bethancourt went 1-for-3 with a two-run single in a win over the Tigers on Thursday.

One game after forging a three-hit effort that included two RBI, Bethancourt continued producing with a first-inning single that brought home both Jed Lowrie and Sheldon Neuse. Bethancourt has been a serviceable contributor during the ongoing absence of Stephen Vogt (knee), posting a .250 average and seven RBI over 61 plate appearances.

Jansen (oblique) could be activated Saturday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Jansen has been out for over a month with a strained left oblique. He's played in rehab games for three straight days, grabbing one hit in each, and it looks like that might be all he needs. He'll presumably reclaim the starting catcher role upon his return, pushing Alejandro Kirk to the designated hitter spot on a regular basis.

Higashioka will sit Friday against the White Sox, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

Higashioka started five of the first six games of the season behind the dish for the Yankees, but he and Jose Trevino have split time exactly evenly since then, each starting 13 times. Trevino will be the starting backstop Friday, catching for Gerrit Cole.

Grandal isn't starting Friday against the Yankees.

Grandal has gone just 1-for-11 with two runs, three walks and five strikeouts over the last three games, and he'll get his first day off since April 22. Reese McGuire will start behind the plate and bat ninth.

Bemboom went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's 3-2 win over the Cardinals.

Bemboom hasn't done much with his playing time as backup to Robinson Chirinos. The home run Thursday was Bemboom's first of the season, and he's added two doubles among his six hits. It accounted for his first RBI as well. The catcher is slashing .140/.229/.256 through 49 plate appearances.

Godoy was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul following the completion of Wednesday's suspended game on Thursday, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Godoy came off the bench during the suspended game but never game to the plate. The 27-year-old has appeared in one game between his two stints in the majors this season, and he'll return to St. Paul, where he has a .241/.313/.276 slash line in eight contests.

Sanchez isn't starting Thursday's regularly scheduled game against the Astros.

Sanchez went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout during Wednesday's suspended game, and he was replaced behind the dish late in the blowout loss. He'll get a breather in the regularly scheduled matchup while Ryan Jeffers starts behind the plate and bats seventh.

Maldonado isn't starting Thursday's regularly scheduled game against Minnesota, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Maldonado remained behind the dish to close out Wednesday's suspended game, and he finished the win by going 1-for-5 with a run and a strikeout. Jason Castro will take his place behind the dish and bat eighth.

Ford is hitting .215/.414/.308 with a homer and four steals across 18 games this year for Single-A Modesto.

That OBP pops off the page, courtesy of his impressive 23.5 percent walk rate, but Ford is also striking out a lot (27.6 percent). The pop he showed in rookie ball last year hasn't materialized so far this season, and it's worth wondering if or when the Mariners will ultimately move him from behind the plate to better take advantage of his speed. All in all, there's a lot of development left to go for last season's No. 12 overall draft pick, but he's got great upside.

Bethancourt will start at catcher and bat sixth in Thursday's game in Detroit, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

With top catcher Sean Murphy receiving a breather on a getaway day, Bethancourt will check in behind the dish after manning first base in Wednesday's 9-0 win. Bethancourt was one of several Oakland hitters to enjoy a big day at the dish in the victory, as he went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI.