MLB Player News
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Austin Hedges C | CLE
Guardians' Austin Hedges: Out for first game of doubleheader
Hedges is out of the lineup for the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader with the Padres, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Hedges is expected to re-enter the lineup for the nightcap Wednesday, but Luke Maile will catch Zach Plesac in the first game of the twin bill.
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Reese McGuire C | CHW
White Sox's Reese McGuire: Drives in one
McGuire went 1-for-3 with an RBI on Tuesday against the Cubs.
McGuire has seen an uptick in playing time of late as Yasmani Grandal has regularly served as the designated hitter due to leg soreness. McGuire had failed to take advantage of the increased opportunity, as he entered Tuesday's action with zero hits across his last 13 at-bats. However, he chipped in with an RBI on a sacrifice bunt in the second frame, and he reached base on an infield single in the ninth inning. McGuire is a defense-first catcher, but he could remain in line for more playing time so long as the team looks to lighten Grandal's workload.
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Ryan Jeffers C | MIN
Twins' Ryan Jeffers: Powers team with three-run homer
Jeffers went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer, a walk and two runs in Tuesday's win over the Orioles.
The 24-year-old walked and scored in the top of the fifth inning on a Jorge Polanco single before launching a three-run home run in the top of the sixth frame, scoring Gary Sanchez and Trevor Larnach. The long ball was his third of the season and it gave the Twins a 5-2 lead. Jeffers has operated as Minnesota's main option behind the plate this year, producing a .228 batting average with nine RBI over 57 at-bats. With Sanchez finally healthy again, however, it will be interesting to see how the playing time gets divvied up.
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Jonah Heim C | ATH
Rangers' Jonah Heim: Homers in win
Heim went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk and an additional run scored during Tuesday's 6-4 win at Philadelphia.
The 26-year-old started behind the plate and took Ranger Suarez deep during the fourth inning, and he also singled and scored in the sixth. Mitch Garver is clearly operating as Texas' No. 1 catcher, but Heim has still started 10 games with Garver also seeing regular time at designated hitter. Heim has taken advantage of those early opportunities and has a .364/.475/.697 slash line to go with three home runs, 10 RBI and 10 runs.
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Mitch Garver C | SEA
Rangers' Mitch Garver: Launches two-run homer
Garver went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run during Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Phillies.
Garver started the scoring Tuesday with a 400-foot shot to left center field with a runner on during the first inning, but he was unable to produce in his other three at-bats. It's his second homer in his past five games, and he's gone 5-for-20 during that stretch. Overall, it's been tough going early in the season for Garver with a .183/.272/.310 slash line through 20 games.
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Kyle Higashioka C | TEX
Yankees' Kyle Higashioka: On bench again Tuesday
Higashioka is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays.
After picking up three starts in a four-game stretch to close out the weekend, Higashioka now finds himself on the bench for the second day in a row. The Yankees are expected to ride the hotter bat between Higashioka and Jose Trevino at catcher, though neither is doing much to separate himself from the other. Higashioka owns a .386 OPS on the season, while Trevino's mark sits at a similarly feeble .463.
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Christian Vazquez C | HOU
Red Sox's Christian Vazquez: Gets Tuesday off
Vazquez is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Angels, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.
Vazquez will retreat to the bench after going 2-for-10 with a double while catching in three of the Red Sox's previous four games. Kevin Plawecki will be behind the dish for Tuesday's series opener.
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Ben Rortvedt C | NYM
Yankees' Ben Rortvedt: Ready to ramp up work
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Sunday that Rortvedt (oblique) is a "full-go" for batting practice and defensive work, Jordan Wolf of MLB.com reports.
Rortvedt recently had imaging performed that showed no sign of the right oblique strain that has kept him out of game action so far this season, and he appears ready to start increasing his baseball activity in anticipation of a return. Boone noted that the backstop isn't yet prepared to face live pitching or embark on a rehab assignment, but the manager also suggested that Rortvedt could be "getting close to that." Primary catcher Kyle Higashioka is batting only .136 this season, and Jose Trevino hasn't done much better at .208, so Rortvedt could get a shot to show what he can do with the Yankees when he's able to return.
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Salvador Perez C | KC
Royals' Salvador Perez: Stuck in slump
Perez went 0-for-4 in Monday's 1-0 loss to the Cardinals.
Over his last seven games, Perez has struggled, going 2-for-29 with 12 strikeouts and just one walk in that span. The catcher showed some early power this season, but he's been unable to contribute much of anything lately. Overall, the 31-year-old is slashing .185/.233/.420 with five home runs, nine RBI, nine runs scored and four doubles in 21 games.
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Danny Jansen C | TEX
Blue Jays' Danny Jansen: Takes live batting practice
Jansen (oblique) took part in live batting practice session Monday, Mitch Bannon of SI.com reports.
Jansen relayed that he "felt great" after the hitting session, which was highlighted by an opposite-field home run. The 27-year-old is expected to continue his hitting progression while partaking in additional baseball activities over the next few days, and a minor-league rehab assignment could soon follow. Jansen has been on the shelf since April 11 with a left oblique strain.