MLB Player News

Vazquez is not in Sunday's lineup against the Rangers.

He is hitting .250/.344/.357 with zero home runs and zero steals in nine games this month. Kevin Plawecki will start behind the dish and bat ninth.

Barnhart is starting at catcher and batting ninth in Sunday's game against the Orioles.

After a day off Saturday, Barnhart will return for the series finale Sunday, with Eric Haase headed back to the bench. Barnhart is batting .271 this season, though he's yet to hit a home run and has only three RBI, so he hasn't been particularly productive with his hits.

Haase went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's win over the Orioles.

It's mostly been a struggle this season for Haase, who's batting just .170 with a .543 OPS, though he does have hits in his last two appearances, which is a small step in the right direction. Haase has two home runs this year after blasting 22 long balls in 2021, and he'll need to start seeing more playing time if he wants to approach that figure in 2022.

Higashioka is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox.

Higashioka and Jose Trevino have alternated starts over the past six games, and that trend will continue Sunday after Higashioka went 0-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and a strikeout during Saturday's 3-2 loss to Chicago.

Grandal is not in Sunday's lineup against the Yankees.

He has yet to get going at the dish this season and is hitting .162 with a .354 OBP and zero home runs in 11 games this month. Reese McGuire will start at catcher and hit eighth.

Jansen is not in Sunday's lineup against the Rays.

He returned Saturday after missing four weeks with an oblique strain and went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run and a walk. Alejandro Kirk will start behind the dish while George Springer starts at designated hitter.

Perez went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in a loss to Colorado on Saturday.

Perez's two-run shot temporarily tied the score 3-3 in the third inning, though the Royals eventually lost in a blowout. The long ball was the backstop's his first since April 22 -- a span of 18 games. Perez is far off the pace that led to a career-high 48 homers last season, but his six long balls match Daulton Varsho for the lead in the category among catcher-eligible players.

Heineman was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday.

The 30-year-old served as catching depth for the Blue Jays over the last month, but he'll head back to the minors after Danny Jansen (oblique) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list. Heineman went 4-for-15 with two doubles, two runs, an RBI and four strikeouts over 10 major-league games and should see more consistent playing time in Buffalo.

Jansen (oblique) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and is starting Saturday against the Rays.

Jansen spent just over a month on the injured list with an oblique injury but recently completed a rehab stint at Single-A Dunedin in which he went 3-for-10 with two doubles and four runs. The 27-year-old should serve as the primary catcher now that he's healthy, while Alejandro Kirk should see additional at-bats as the designated hitter.

Barnhart isn't starting Saturday against the Orioles.

Barnhart started in the last three games and went 2-for-9 with a double, an RBI and two strikeouts. Eric Haase will take over behind the plate and bat seventh.