MLB Player News

Sanchez (head) drew a walk in his only plate appearance as a pinch hitter Sunday against the Pirates.

Sanchez was forced out of Saturday's game after being hit in the mask by a foul ball, but the 27-year-old apparently isn't feeling any lingering effects. He'll continue to serve as the backup to Austin Hedges behind the plate.

Barnes took a foul ball off his throwing hand in Sunday's game against the Mets. However, X-rays came back negative, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Barnes stayed in the game and finished 1-for-4 with an RBI, but evidently the incident was serious enough to get his hand checked out after the game. The Dodgers' top catcher Yasmani Grandal is dealing with a minor back injury of his own, so hopefully Barnes isn't forced to miss time. Look for another update prior to Tuesday's series opener in Arizona.

Rupp went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI Sunday in Colorado.

Rupp's second double was the most important hit of the game, turning a 2-1 ninth-inning deficit into a 3-2 lead while saddling closer Greg Holland with his second loss. The catcher came into this one mired in an 0-13 slump over his previous four games, but Coors Field has been known to have curative effects on struggling hitters.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs Sunday against the Nationals.

Contreras took rookie Erick Fedde deep in the fourth and sixth innings, and now has five home runs in the past four games. The 25-year-old catcher has cemented his spot in the heart of Chicago's order, as Contreras' recent power surge has raised his line to an impressive .281/.349/.532.

Realmuto went 2-for-4 with a solo home run during Sunday's win over Atlanta.

Now up to a .306/.366/.489 slash line with 13 homers, 45 RBI, five stolen bases and 50 runs, Realmuto is providing high-end numbers from the catcher position. Additionally, his hefty workload behind the plate makes him all the more valuable and helps both his fantasy floor and ceiling.

Grandal (back) is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Grandal was removed from Saturday's game with back spasms and will be held out Sunday in order to give the veteran backstop ample time to rest. The Dodgers have a scheduled off-day Monday before opening up a three-game set with the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. Grandal will remain day-to-day while Austin Barnes will fill in behind the plate in his stead, batting sixth.

Mesoraco is not in the lineup Sunday against the Cardinals, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.

The embattled catcher returned to action Saturday with a two-strikeout showing, but in an effort to keep him healthy for the remainder of the year, he'll head to the bench for a day off. Tucker Barnhart will slot behind the dish to give Mesoraco a breather Sunday.

Sanchez was removed from Saturday's game in the third inning after he was hit in the mask by a foul ball.

Sanchez went 0-for-2 and was replaced behind the plate by Luis Torrens. He will likely undergo concussion testing in order to yield a more firm diagnosis, though it appears the early exit was a precautionary measure by the team. Saturday's start was his first since July 29, as Austin Hedges has reassumed primary catching duties.

Grandal left Saturday's game against the Mets with back spasms, Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Grandal lasted seven innings in Saturday's win, going 1-for-4 with a double before he was replaced behind the plate by Austin Barnes. The team will likely let him rest for Sunday's series finale prior to Monday's well-timed travel day, but expect a more succinct evaluation by the team in due time.

Hedges is out of the lineup Saturday against the Pirates.

After starting the last four games, Hedges takes a seat in favor of Hector Sanchez, who is hitting sixth. Hedges is hitting .235 with five home runs and a 33:3 K:BB in 98 at-bats since the start of June.