MLB Player News

Reds catcher Brayan Pena is batting second in Sunday's game against the Giants as Devin Mesoraco remains out of the lineup.

It's the first time this season Pena has hit higher than sixth, and most of his starts have come while batting seventh or eighth. However, manager Bryan Price is looking to stack the top of the lineup with players who have higher OBPs, resulting in center fielder Billy Hamilton being moved down to the eighth spot and shortstop Zack Cozart remaining in the leadoff spot for a second straight day.

Pena has hit .341/.415/.390 with four RBI in 82 at-bats. The Reds are slight favorites (-108) at home Sunday.

Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Braves.

Realmuto has earned the last five starts behind the plate, going 5 for 18 with two walks and one strikeout during that stretch. Jhonatan Solano will draw the start in his place and serve as the catcher for Henderson Alvarez's first game on the mound since April 12.

The Marlins are favorites (-127) Sunday, per VegasInsider.com.

Mets catcher Kevin Plawecki launched his second home run of the season in Saturday's 14-1 pounding of the Brewers. The solo home run came in the seventh inning with the team already way ahead. 

Overall, Plawecki had a good night at the plate. He went 1 for 3 with the home run, two RBI, a walk and two runs scored. The big game was needed for the Mets' young backstop, as he came into Saturday's game with just one hit over his previous 12 at-bats.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly is resting a number of regulars on Saturday against the Rockies. Included in that group is right fielder Andre Ethier and catcher Yasmani Grandal.

Ethier has started 17 of the last 19 games in right field for the Dodgers, and he's been hot at the plate lately. Over his last 10 games, Ethier is hitting .343 with a home run and five RBI. Scott Van Slyke is making the start in right field on Saturday.

Grandal meanwhile has started five straight games behind the plate, so Mattingly will give his legs a rest. A.J. Ellis will catch Zack Greinke against the Rockies. 

"A.J. hasn't been playing a whole lot lately," Mattingly said to MLB.com. "I'm trying to get him in there against left-handers as much as I can. I never worry about A.J. as a [good] teammate. I just want to make sure he doesn't feel slighted. He'll be a bigger part of the mix in the next section of games, when we have day after night, and travel."

The Giants have optioned catcher Hector Sanchez to Triple-A Sacramento to make room on the roster for Hunter Pence.

Sanchez has not started a game since mid-April. He departs with a slash line of .194/.194/.258.

A hip ailment continues to plague Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco, who is not in the lineup Saturday against San Francisco.

Mesoraco has been used sparingly recently with surgery an option if the pain in his hip persists. He has just five hits all season as his slash line has suffered. It is currently a very weak .135/.216/.238.

With his absence due to a fractured finger approaching a month, there is finally some encouraging news regarding Mets starting catcher Travis d'Arnaud. General manager Sandy Alderson has stated that he could start hitting next Monday if his x-rays prove he's ready, ESPN has reported.

d'Arnaud has been out since April 19. He will own a slash line of .317/.356/.537 upon his return, but a long rehab stint is expected.

Mets rookie Johnny Monell will make his first start of the season, as he'll be the starting catcher and bat seventh on Friday against the Brewers.

Monell was called up from Triple-A on May 5 and has been used as a pinch-hitter and late-inning defensive replacement. So far he has one hit (a two-run double) in his first five at-bats. He is starting in place of Kevin Plawecki who has been struggling at the plate.

Monell was hitting well in Triple-A this season, batting .397 in 17 games for Las Vegas. 

The Reds will be play another series in an American League ballpark next week when they take on the Royals in Kansas City. This will allow slugger Devin Mesoraco to be the designated hitter, as he continues to recover from a hip impingment. Mesoraco, who caught 109 games for the Reds in 2014, hasn't been behind the plate since April 12. 

Mesoraco is expected to test the hip by catching shortly after the series with the Royals, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman. While he is hoping to wait until after the season to have surgery, if the pain intensifies, he may opt to have the surgery mid-season. Heyman notes that the recovery time from this type of surgery is usually around four months, which would essentially end his season.

Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips returned to the starting lineup and is batting sixth, while catcher Devin Mesoraco remained sidelined Friday night against San Francisco, per MLB.com.

Phillips suffered a sore big toe on Tuesday after striking out three times. He is hitting .311 (37 for 119) with one home run, 15 RBI and a .345 on-base percentage this season.

"He's had the 48 hours of recovery time," Price said of Phillips. "He had a lot of treatment. He's been seen by a foot specialist and all those things. We don't force our players to play. We have to make sure that they’re comfortable being on the field. Most of them, if not all of them, are slightly banged up right now anyway. It's just part of the grind of a long season."

Mesoraco hasn't been in the starting lineup as a catcher since April 11. He plated the winning run as a pinch-hitter on Tuesday. He is hitting .143 (5 for 35) with two RBI this season.

Cincinnati is an underdog (+125) at home against the Giants, per VegasInsider.com.