MLB Player News

Collins went 1-for-4 with a run scored in Saturday's 13-2 loss to the Athletics.

Collins, who made just his fourth start at catcher, reached base safely via a hit for the first time in 24 at-bats. He homered in his first official at-bat June 21 and didn't get another one until his seventh-inning single Saturday. Collins' roster spot is not expected to survive the impending return of Welington Castillo (oblique), which could happen this coming week.

Thaiss is not starting Saturday against Seattle.

Thaiss started four of the six previous games but will sit Saturday, likely due to the Mariners starting lefty Wade LeBlanc. If Thaiss is indeed in a platoon role, he could find himself on the bench frequently over the next few days, with the Angels facing three lefties in their next five contests. David Fletcher will start at third base Saturday, with Luis Rengifo at second.

McCann is out of the lineup Saturday against the Athletics.

Zack Collins will get the start behind the plate and bat ninth against righty Chris Bassitt. McCann's rare day off will come after starting 25 of the last 26 games. The catcher is 8-for-28 with three RBI, two runs and 10 strikeouts over his last seven starts. The 29-year old has experienced great success on the road this season with an impressive .342/.397/.532 slash line, and he'll look to continue that dominance during the White Sox's 10-game road trip.

Vazquez went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 8-1 win over the Dodgers.

Vazquez swatted his fifth homer in the last eight games and has 15 for the season. That's five more home runs than he had in 291 career MLB games over his first four seasons. He's slashing .352/.359/.682 with eight homers and 20 RBI over his last 21 games.

Jansen is out of the lineup versus the Yankees on Saturday.

After eight consecutive starts behind the dish, Jansen will get the day off, with Luke Maile getting the nod at catcher instead. Jansen, who struggled for most of the year in regards to his offensive production, is slashing .367/.367/.933 with four home runs and seven RBI in eight games this month. He will receive a much-needed breather and will look to stay hot upon his return to the lineup Sunday versus the Yankees.

Thole was traded from the Dodgers to the Angels on Friday along with Adam McCreery in exchange for cash considerations.

The Angels need another catcher with Jonathan Lucroy out with a concussion and a broken nose and Kevan Smith dealing with a sprained hand. Thole will report to Triple-A Salt Lake, indicating that Smith is likely ready to go. Thole is good enough to fill in at the position if called upon, but nothing about the eight-year veteran's .242/.313/.306 career slash line suggests he'll be a fantasy asset if he gets a chance with the Angels.

Kirk went 2-for-3 with a double for High-A Dunedin on Thursday.

Since his promotion to the Florida State League, the 20-year-old catcher has slashed .323/.428/.436 through 41 games with a remarkable 23:20 BB:K. Kirk is still looking for his first homer with Dunedin after launching three in 21 games for Low-A Lansing, and power may never be a big part of his game given his 5-foot-9 frame, but his hit tool and plate discipline seem strong enough to get him to the majors if his defensive skills continue to develop.

Narvaez went 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs and four RBI in a loss to Oakland on Sunday.

Narvaez drove in all four Seattle runs in the loss, sandwiching solo home runs in the second and eighth innings around run-scoring singles in the fourth and sixth. The multi-homer game was the first of his career and the four hits established a career single-game high. Narvaez enters the All-Star break with 14 home runs -- the most ever by a Mariners catcher before the break -- along with 36 runs batted in and a .294/.366/.486 slash line in 255 at-bats.

Vazquez went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday's win over the Tigers.

Vazquez delivered a two-run blast over the fence in right during the second inning, putting Boston ahead 2-1. He's been red-hot at the dish heading into the All-Star break, racking up seven extra-base hits (including four homers) over his last seven contests.

Thaiss will start at third base and bat seventh Sunday against the Astros, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Though Thaiss didn't play the hot corner much during his time in the minors, the Angels will give him a chance to prove his worth at the position while Tommy La Stella (lower leg) likely remains sidelined through August. While starting in two of his first four games with the big club, Thaiss has gone 1-for-7 with a double and three strikeouts.