MLB Player News

Stassi (thumb) is traveling with the Angels on their current road trip and could be close to returning to action, Taylor Blake Ward of Locked on Angels reports.

Stassi is eligible to come off the injured list Friday, and it looks like he may not be far from a return. The veteran backstop hasn't played since April 12, when he left a game against the Royals with left thumb irritation. Kurt Suzuki has been filling in as the primary catcher for the Angels in Stassi's stead.

Sanchez is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against Cleveland, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

Kyle Higashioka will form a battery with Domingo German while Sanchez takes a seat for the series opener. Sanchez was behind the dish for both of the Yankees' games against Atlanta earlier in the week, going 0-for-7 between the contests to drop his season average to .200.

Kirk is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.

Kirk was included in the lineup in each of the past four games, making two starts at designated hitter and two at catcher. Cavan Biggio's three-game absence due to a hand injury helped Kirk pick up some extra playing time, but the 22-year-old's path to an everyday role will ultimately hinge on the Blue Jays' comfort with him behind the dish. The Blue Jays' No. 1 catcher, Danny Jansen, is slashing .065/.147/.097 through 34 plate appearances this season, making it increasingly difficult for Toronto to trot him out on a regular basis.

Garver is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Athletics.

Garver will rest for the series finale after he played in both ends of Tuesday's doubleheader loss, making one start at catcher and one start at first base. Ryan Jeffers will check in for Garver behind the plate, while Willians Astudillo picks up a start at first.

Maldonado and the Astros agreed Wednesday on a one-year, $5 million contract extension, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. According to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle, the deal includes a $4 million team option or a $500,000 buyout for 2023, with option vesting to $5 million if Maldonado plays at least 90 games in 2022.

Though he only recently began the second season of the two-year, $7 million deal he signed in the 2019-20 offseason, Maldonado has made a strong enough of an impression as a game caller and defender behind the plate during his time in Houston for the club to give him some extra security. The 34-year-old has been less dependable on the offensive end -- he's gone 3-for-34 with 17 strikeouts to begin 2021 -- but the Astros are able to live with his shortcomings in that area if he can continue to coax good results out of the team's pitching staff.

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

Trevino had started each of the last three games and went 1-for-11 with a double, one RBI and three strikeouts during that time. Jonah Heim will take over behind the plate Wednesday, batting seventh.

Maldonado went 0-for-1 with two walks in Tuesday's 6-2 loss to Colorado.

Maldonado returned to the lineup after missing the last four games while on the COVID-19 protocols list. He and three other Astros cleared health and safety protocols just before game time and were available to play.

Grandal went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run during Tuesday's 8-5 win against Cleveland.

The 32-year-old entered Tuesday's contest 1-for-21 over the previous seven games, but he busted out with his second homer of the season. Grandal has a .150/.306/.350 slash line with two home runs, six runs and nine RBI through 12 games.

Murphy is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Twins, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Murphy started behind the plate in the matinee, going 0-for-2 with a walk and a run, and he unsurprisingly won't start both ends of the doubleheader. Aramis Garcia will work behind the plate in Game 2 for the A's.

Stubbs was optioned to the alternate training site Tuesday and placed on the taxi squad, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

The 27-year-old has been with the big-league club for the past week following the team's COVID-19 outbreak, but he'll lose his roster spot with Martin Maldonado (COVID protocols) returning to the lineup. Stubbs will remain with the team on the taxi squad but is unlikely to rejoin the roster while Maldonado and Jason Castro remain healthy.