MLB Player News

Maldonado went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run in Monday's win over the Angels.

Maldonado has hit safely in each of his last three games, but perhaps more importantly, he snapped a homer drought that dated back to Aug. 25, when he blasted a solo shot against the Royals. The veteran backstop is hitting just .170 this month while striking out 15 times in 47 at-bats, so he hasn't been very productive over the last couple of weeks.

Perez went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in a 7-2 win over Cleveland during the first game of Monday's doubleheader.

The veteran catcher took Triston McKenzie deep in the fifth inning, wrapping up the scoring for the Royals in the matinee. Perez is now tied with Vladimir Guerrero for the major-league lead in homers at 46 -- a total that sets a new MLB record for most home runs in a season by a catcher, breaking the mark set by Johnny Bench in 1970.

Stassi is not in the lineup Monday against the Astros.

Stassi started the past two games and will receive a day to reset after going 0-for-7 with a walk and six strikeouts. Kurt Suzuki will work behind the plate for the Halos.

The Astros promoted Lee from Double-A Corpus Christi to Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday.

Houston's top catching prospect will advance to his third affiliate of the season after beginning the campaign at High-A Asheville. Since receiving a promotion to Double-A in mid-June, Lee hit .254 with eight home runs and three stolen bases while walking at an 8.4 percent clip.

Kirk will start at catcher and bat sixth Monday against the Rays.

Kirk was on the bench for each of the past three games, but he'll step back in behind the dish to catch Cy Young candidate Robbie Ray in Monday's series opener. Though Kirk remains Toronto's top hitting catcher, Danny Jansen's superior defense may make him the more useful asset for a Blue Jays lineup that already boasts plenty of quality bats. Expect the two to remain part of a timeshare the rest of the way.

Hedges will start at catcher and bat eighth in the first game of Monday's doubleheader with the Royals.

Since Cleveland brought back Roberto Perez from the injured list last week, Hedges has fallen back into a near-even timeshare at catcher. The two backstops have now alternated starts across the last seven contests, and that trend should continue in the nightcap, when Perez presumably gets the nod over Hedges.

Perez is out of the lineup for the first game of Monday's doubleheader with the Royals.

Perez and Austin Hedges have been alternating turns behind the dish since the former was activated from the 10-day injured list last week, and the pattern will likely continue as Cleveland opens a nine-game week with a doubleheader. Hedges will form a battery with Triston McKenzie in the opening contest, but look for Perez to start at catcher in Monday's nightcap.

Gomes went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, walk and two strikeouts in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Angels.

Gomes opened the game's scoring with a solo home run to center off Shohei Ohtani in the third inning and later walked in the ninth. The long ball was Gomes' second of the week, though the backstop is slashing a poor .182/.250/.341 in 14 games this month.

Haase went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Sunday's win over the Rays.

Haase and Dustin Garneau popped solo home runs, which was enough for the Tigers in the 2-0 win. Haase now has 22 home runs this season, which has helped offset his .231 batting average. The 28-year-old is batting just .182 this month, but his ability to leave the yard gives him some fantasy appeal down the stretch, especially from the catcher position.

Perez went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an RBI single in Sunday's 11-1 win over the Yankees.

The catcher had gone just 1-for-5 in his first games back from a shoulder injury before Sunday's multi-hit effort. Perez lifted his slash line to .150/.255/.342 with seven homers, 17 RBI, 11 runs scored and a stolen base in 37 contests this year. He'll likely continue to share catching duties with Austin Hedges for the last two weeks of the season.