MLB Player News

Grandal went 1-for-4 with a walk and a solo home run in Thursday's win over the Pirates.

The 28-year-old has been on a power surge lately, smacking four homers in his last seven games to bring his total to 18. Grandal has historically been a low-average player, but thanks to the power, he's well on his way toward finishing as a top-seven catcher for the second straight season.

Bethancourt could be among the minor leaguers called up to the Padres when rosters expand in September, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

This is despite the fact that Bethancourt has been terrible in the minors. He owns an 8.12 ERA over 37.2 innings for Triple-A El Paso and has walked 28 batters against just 20 strikeouts. That said, the Padres need to make a decision about Bethancourt's long-term future with the club soon, so what better time than the present to see what he's got?

Hedges is not in the lineup Thursday against St. Louis.

Hedges will get a standard day off following two straight starts, while Luis Torrens draws the assignment behind the plate. Over the past 10 games, Hedges is slashing just .135/.154/.216.

Contreras (hamstring) took batting practice prior to Thursday's game against the Reds, Mark Gonzales of The Chicago Tribune reports.

This marks the first time Contreras was able to partake in batting practice since landing on the DL about two weeks ago. In recent days, the 25-year-old was able to participate in agility drills as well as catch Jake Arrieta during a side session. Contreras remains on a path to return to the big-league team right around the middle of September.

D'Arnaud is not in the lineup Thursday against Arizona.

Following three starts in the past four games, d'Arnaud will get the matinee off in favor of Kevin Plawecki. Since the beginning of August, the catcher is batting .207/.230/.310 with one home run and five RBI.

Contreras (hamstring) participated in agility drills and caught for teammate Jake Arrieta on Wednesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Contreras' workout Wednesday included sprints and additional running drills. He did a similar workout Tuesday, so seeing him be able to increase his level of activity in such a short amount of time is certainly promising. If he keeps his current pace, a mid-September activation from the disabled list should be in order for Contreras. Until then, Alex Avila and Rene Rivera will share time in the Cubs' lineup.

Grandal is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Pirates, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Grandal will have the night off while Austin Barnes gets the nod to start behind the dish. Grandal will likely rejoin the Dodgers' lineup for their series finale against Chad Kuhl and the Pirates.

Barnhart is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Cubs, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Barnhart will get the day off after starting four consecutive games. Stuart Turner will serve as the Reds' backstop Wednesday while Barnhart gets some rest.

Hedges went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run in a 12-4 rout of the Cardinals on Tuesday.

Hedges has broken out with 16 homers in 92 games in his first full season as a starter in the majors. The 24-year-old's .219 batting average has suppressed his fantasy value, but it is actually a marked improvement over the .161 mark he posted across 161 combined at-bats with the Padres in 2015 and 2016. Hedges has shown an ability to hit for average in the minors, so it isn't inconceivable to think that the youngster can develop into a top-tier fantasy catcher as he enters his prime years if he gets his strikeout rate closer to 20 percent (29.0 K percentage this season).

Grandal's lone hit in five at-bats was a two-run blast in Tuesday's win over the Pirates.

The 28-year-old has been flashing his power stroke lately with two doubles and three homers over his last six starts. Grandal continues to sit against southpaws and in day games following night games, but he has produced well enough (.262 batting average and 17 long balls) in a semi-regular role to remain relevant in most fantasy formats.