MLB Player News

Higashioka is not in Thursday's lineup against the Tigers.

He is hitting .097 with zero home runs and a 7:1 K:BB in 10 games. Jose Trevino will start behind the dish and bat ninth.

Kirk went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Red Sox.

That's now three multi-hit performances in the last five starts for Kirk, who's batting .438 (7-for-16) with a .571 OBP over that stretch thanks to a 5:0 BB:K. The 23-year-old backstop is still looking for his first extra-base hit of the season and has only one RBI and one run scored through 11 contests, but as long as he keeps making contact, Kirk should have a regular spot in the lineup at catcher or DH.

Mejia went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, a double, an additional RBI and an additional run scored Wednesday against the Cubs.

Mejia contributed to the Rays' four-run first inning with his second home run of the season. Four frames later, he delivered an insurance run with an RBI double. Mejia has split playing time nearly evenly with Mike Zunino behind the plate to begin the season, and he's performed well by logging three multi-hit performances to go along with 10 RBI and five runs scored across seven games.

Barnhart is not in Thursday's lineup against the Yankees.

He'll head to the bench with lefty Jordan Montgomery on the hill for the Yankees. Barnhart appears to be in a strict platoon to start the season. The righty-hitting Eric Haase gets the start behind the dish.

Heim went 0-for-3 in Wednesday's 4-2 loss to Seattle.

After a blistering start to the season, Heim is 0-for-7 in his last two starts. On the bright side, he's started five of 11 games thus far and overall is batting .333 with two home runs and eight RBI. Heim popped 10 homers over 82 games in 2021 but had an ugly .196 average.

Vazquez (illness) was activated from the COVID-19 injured list Wednesday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Vazquez was placed on the COVID-19 IL on Tuesday but will quickly rejoin Boston's active roster. He'll remain out of the lineup Wednesday with Connor Wong starting behind the plate for the Red Sox.

Hedges is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader versus the White Sox.

Hedges went 1-for-4 with a run scored during the matinee, and it's not a surprise he won't be starting both games of the twin bill. Bryan Lavastida will work behind the plate and bat ninth in the nightcap.

Maldonado isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Angels.

Maldonado will get a breather after he went 0-for-6 with a run, an RBI, a walk and a strikeout in his last two appearances. Jason Castro will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Wong went 0-for-2 with a sacrifice fly and an RBI in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Blue Jays.

Wong, who stepped in as the starting catcher after both Christian Vazquez and Kevin Plawecki were added to the COVID-19 injury list, produced the game-winning run with a seventh-inning sacrifice fly. He has familiarity with the staff, catching during spring training games and bullpen sessions, so Red Sox manager Alex Cora was confident in the young backstop. All three of his starts in 2021 saw him serve as a battery mate for Nathan Eovaldi, who was also Tuesday's starter. Wong also guided four relievers through 4.1 scoreless innings against a potent Toronto lineup, and he'll remain the primary catcher until Vazquez and/or Plawecki can return to the club.

Bethancourt went 2-for-3 with a walk, a run and a stolen base in Tuesday's 2-1 win against the Orioles.

Bethancourt singled and stole second in the second inning, singled and scored in the sixth and walked in the eighth to record his best all-around game of the season. The 30-year-old has appeared in all five games since being promoted from Triple-A and is seeing his first big-league action since 2017. He's responded by going 4-for-16, with all four hits coming in two of those games.