MLB Player News

D'Arnaud (shoulder) will serve as the DH for High-A St. Lucie on Sunday night, MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reports.

This is good news for both fantasy owners and the Mets, as the team has struggled to get offense from the catcher position in the absence of d'Arnaud. Although the backstop will be able to log some at-bats in the minors, he remains without a timetable to return to throwing, which is the next major step in his recovery. He'll likely need a few starts at catcher in the minors before a realistic return estimate can be determined.

Barnes was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday.

Barnes owns a .306/.413/.375 slash line in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, but that was enough to earn him a promotion after left fielder Carl Crawford was designated for assignment Sunday. Barnes will provide the Dodgers with speed over power, as he has 12 stolen bases and zero home runs over 37 games for Oklahoma City. The 26-year-old can play infield, outfield, and even be used as an emergency catcher, so he could find himself with occasional starts due to his versatility. In the meantime, Howie Kendrick is expected to be the main beneficiary in terms of the reps at left field Crawford will leave behind.

Contreras went 1-for-3 and extended his hitting streak to 13 games for Triple-A Iowa on Saturday.

Even more impressive, Contreras has driven in at least one run in seven straight games. He has 39 RBI in 176 at-bats at Iowa this season and is slashing .335/.428/.585. With David Ross set to retire at the end of the season, Contreras should be with the Cubs -- possibly as the regular starter -- in 2017.

Grandal is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Braves.

With Clayton Kershaw taking the hill Saturday, A.J. Ellis will take over catching duties in place of Grandal. The switch-hitting Grandal has struggled mightily at the dish over the past month, slashing a meager .113/.210/.268 with 23 strikeouts and nine walks.

Rupp went 2-for-2 with a double, a walk, and solo home run in the Phillies win over Milwaukee on Friday night.

Rupp has been in a timeshare behind the plate, but he has been more productive with a .279 average, three home runs, and 11 RBI which appears to be winning him more playing time. He has some reasonable upside so more consistent playing time could move him up on fantasy depth charts.

D'Arnaud (shoulder) could DH in a minor league game this weekend, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

While it sounds like d'Arnaud is feeling well enough to swing the bat, he has not been cleared to catch, and manager Terry Collins reiterated that d'Arnaud is still "a ways away." Injuries have been a recurring theme for the 27-year-old throughout his career, and his offense was not up to snuff when he was on the field this season.

Plawecki is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Marlins, Adam Rubin of ESPN.com reports.

Friday's absence marks Plawecki's second straight and third in the team's last four games. Plawecki has been mired in a season-long slump (.198/.300/.271) and it looks like he may be falling behind Rene Rivera as the preferred option with Travis d'Arnaud (shoulder) on the DL.

Barnhart is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Nationals, Jamie Ramsey of the Reds' front office reports.

Barnhart will get the day off after starting Thursday's game against the Rockies. In his place, Ramon Cabrera will handle catching duties and bat eighth in the lineup. Barnhart has started five of the last six games for the Reds, and will likely be back behind the plate Saturday.

Realmuto is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Mets, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports.

Realmuto caught the last four games for the Marlins and will take a day off in favor of Jeff Mathis for Friday's contest. This season, Realmuto is hitting .294/.317/.390 with two home runs and 19 RBI, providing a good bat from the catcher's spot.

Stephenson is on the the minor league 7-day DL at Low-A Dayton with a left wrist sprain, according to Reds Assistant Director of Media Relations, Jamie Ramsey.

Stephenson, the Reds' first-round pick in 2015, has really struggled at Dayton this year, hitting .196/.267/.272 in 92 at-bats.