MLB Player News
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Yainer Diaz C | HOU
Astros' Yainer Diaz: Heading to bench Sunday
Diaz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.
Diaz will get a rest day after he went 4-for-24 with no extra-base hits while starting the previous five contests. Victor Caratini will start at catcher and will bat sixth.
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Austin Wynns C | ATH
Athletics' Austin Wynns: Getting afternoon off
Wynns is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.
Wynns had started behind the dish in the first two games of the series and went 1-for-8 with a double and an RBI, but he'll take a seat for the finale while Willie MacIver receives the nod at catcher. Since being acquired by the Athletics on June 8, Wynns has slashed .179/.207/.464 with two home runs and six RBI.
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Maverick Handley C | BAL
Orioles' Maverick Handley: Exits Sunday after collision
Handley was removed from Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Yankees in the bottom of the second inning following a collision at home plate and will receive a "full body" evaluation before the Orioles provide a diagnosis for his injury, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports. "He got hit pretty hard. We haven't seen a collision like that at the plate probably since all the new rules came in. So we're evaluating him right now, full body, every part of it," Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino said after the game.
After striking out in his lone plate appearance of the day in the top of the second, Handley was forced out of the contest when the Yankees' Jazz Chisholm violently barreled into him as Handley attempted to retrieve a throw down the third-base line and apply a tag. Gary Sanchez had been scheduled to receive Sunday off but ended up catching the rest of the game for the Orioles after Handley couldn't continue. Mansolino noted that Handley's full-body evaluation will include a concussion check.
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Gary Sanchez C | MIL
Orioles' Gary Sanchez: Heading to bench for series finale
Sanchez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees.
Maverick Handley will get the nod behind the plate Sunday, but Sanchez started the previous two contests and is poised to serve as the Orioles' top backstop for the next few weeks with Adley Rutschman (oblique) out through the All-Star break. Sanchez has turned in a .213/.296/.340 slash line with two home runs and 11 RBI in 54 plate appearances on the season, and while that level of production hasn't been impressive, the absence of Rutschman puts Sanchez on the radar as a pickup in fantasy leagues that require two catchers.
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Adley Rutschman C | BAL
Orioles' Adley Rutschman: Out through All-Star break
Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino said Sunday that Rutschman's left oblique strain is considered mild, but the catcher is still expected to remain on the 10-day injured list through the All-Star break, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.
Rutschman was held out of the lineup for the first two games of this weekend's series versus the Yankees due to what was initially described as abdominal tightness, but he was placed on the IL on Saturday when an MRI confirmed an oblique strain. Even though the backstop's injury is seemingly a Grade 1 strain, the Orioles won't rush him back early and will give him at least four weeks to recover. Gary Sanchez is expected to serve as Baltimore's primary backstop while Rutschman is on the shelf.
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Cal Raleigh C | SEA
Mariners' Cal Raleigh: Slugs 30th homer
Raleigh went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Saturday's 10-7 loss to the Cubs.
Raleigh's impressive power surge continued Saturday with a ninth-inning blast, his 30th home run of the season. The catcher has been outstanding, slashing .272/.377/.649 with 44 extra-base hits and 64 RBI through just 74 games, and Raleigh became the first switch hitter in major-league history with 30 long balls before the All-Star break. While Aaron Judge remains the clear favorite for American League MVP, Raleigh has emerged as a strong contender thanks to his elite offensive production and standout defense.
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Logan O'Hoppe C | LAA
Angels' Logan O'Hoppe: Ends power drought
O'Hoppe went 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in Saturday's 9-1 win over the Astros.
O'Hoppe sat both Thursday and Friday, and it appears that two-game stint on the bench helped him reset. The catcher hadn't posted a multi-hit effort in June prior to Saturday, and he hadn't hit a homer since May 22 versus the Athletics. He's now at a .233/.268/.462 slash line with 16 homers, 35 RBI, 24 runs scored, three doubles and no stolen bases over 63 contests. O'Hoppe is likely to maintain at least half of the playing time behind the dish, though his recent slump has allowed more opportunities for Travis d'Arnaud to check in.
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Shea Langeliers C | ATH
Athletics' Shea Langeliers: Progressing in recovery
Langeliers (oblique) participated in batting practice Saturday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Langeliers landed on the 10-day injured list in early June due to a left oblique strain, but he has progressed enough in his recovery to resume swinging a bat. Whether Langeliers will need to embark on a rehab assignment will largely depend on how his oblique reacts to increased work. He was slashing .237/.300/.430 with four steals, 10 doubles, 10 home runs and 27 RBI in 230 plate appearances prior to his injury.
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J.C. Escarra C | NYY
Yankees' J.C. Escarra: Big day against O's
Escarra went 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and three RBI in Saturday's 9-0 win over the Orioles.
The 30-year-old rookie popped his second career homer in the second inning, hooking a Zach Eflin sweeper down the right-field line into the short porch at Yankee Stadium. Escarra continues to be used sparingly behind starter Austin Wells, and Saturday's RBI were his first since May 25, while the runs were his first since May 9.