MLB Player News

Grandal went 3-for-5 with his seventh homer and a pair of runs against the Mets on Tuesday.

He got his piece of a 12-0 rout, highlighted by that fifth-inning homer -- Grandal's first long ball since June 2. In his 12 games between then and Tuesday, Grandal went just 8-for-48 (.167) with 17 strikeouts, so this game was a welcome departure from his recent returns. Of course, he's always been a streaky hitter; perhaps this is the kickoff of a hot stretch.

Barnhart went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Tuesday's 6-5 loss to the Rays.

He's started three straight games and five of the last eight, as Devin Mesoraco's struggles at the plate have opened the door for Barnhart to reclaim some of his lost playing time. The 26-year-old is hitting .316 (6-for-19) with three doubles over that stretch and certainly isn't hurting his chances of seeing steady at-bats going forward, but his value will likely remain tied to what Mesoraco does or doesn't do rather than Barnhart's own performance.

D'Arnaud is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Dodgers.

Despite collecting hits in each of the last three games, d'Arnaud will head to the bench for a breather as Rene Rivera draws the start behind the dish. The 28-year-old is slashing .224/.295/.448 with seven homers in 139 plate appearances (42 games) this season.

Hedges (thigh) said he expects to return to the lineup Wednesday, Dennis Lin of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Hedges also said he feels lucky to have avoided a serious injury after getting bowled over by Anthony Rizzo at home plate Monday night. He's sitting out Tuesday's contest, but look for the backstop to return to action for Wednesday's series finale as Eddie Butler toes the rubber for the Cubs.

Hedges (thigh) is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Cubs, though manager Andy Green said he won't require a trip to the disabled list, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

This is good news for the backstop, who was forced to leave Monday's game against the Cubs after being plowed over by Anthony Rizzo. While the injury isn't serious enough to force Hedges onto the DL, he's still banged up and should be considered day-to-day for now. Luis Torrens is starting behind the dish in his place.

Sanchez (foot, quad) has resumed his rehab with Triple-A El Paso, going 1-for-11 in three starts behind the dish, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

The veteran backstop was sidelined for almost an additional month after suffering a lower-body setback during his first rehab stint in the minors. Now that he has a few games under his belt, the Padres may opt to call the 27-year-old up for depth after Austin Hedges suffered a thigh injury Monday. If the latter is forced to go on the disabled list and a corresponding roster move is made, Sanchez would see a quick boost in value as a short-term starter for those in deep two-catcher formats.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a solo home run during Monday's win over San Diego.

After driving in three runs in Sunday's win, Contreras was back at it again Monday. He's posting solid fantasy numbers for a backstop with a .254/.319/.423 slash line, six homers, 32 RBI and 22 runs, and it also appears he's settling in after a slow start. Contreras owned a disappointing .630 OPS through the first 30 games of the campaign, after all.

Hedges left Monday's game against the Cubs with a bruised right thigh, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Hedges was bowled over by Chicago's Anthony Rizzo in a play at the plate. He managed to stay in for another inning, but the Padres decided to remove him due to the bruise. It doesn't sound like this is a major injury, so consider Hedges day-to-day for now.

Mesoraco is not in the lineup Monday against the Rays, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

This marks the second consecutive day that Mesoraco will watch from the bench. He's been getting a few days per week off in order to keep him healthy, so he'll cede another start to Tucker Barnhart for the series opener.

Contreras went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI during Sunday's win over Pittsburgh.

The backstop slotted into the three-hole Sunday and made the most of the opportunity. He's up to a .254/.320/.411 slash line with 31 RBI for the campaign, which is solid production from the catcher position. Contreras has been trending in the right direction over the past month, posting an .811 OPS, 12 RBI and eight runs through his last 24 games.