MLB Player News

Pirates catcher Chris Stewart drove in two runs to help lead the Pirates to a 7-2 win over the Reds on Thursday.

Stewart went 2 for 4 in the game. The two RBI came when he hit a single off Kevin Gregg to drive in Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte in the seventh inning. Stewart has now hit safely in his last four games. During the hitting streak, Stewart has six hits in his last 15 at-bats.

Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal haunted the Brewers pitching staff during a 14-4 rout Thursday. Grandal had a career-high eight RBI in Thursday's win.

"You're on a new team, and you just want to do good, you want to belong here and turn it around at some point," Grandal said, per MLB.com "[Manager Don Mattingly] just said, you know the numbers will be there. Just relax and play."

Grandal started his afternoon with a one-out single in the first inning, which produced no runs. He then walked in the third and fifth innings before driving home two runs with a single in the sixth inning. He added a three-run homer in the eighth inning before hitting another three-run homer in the ninth inning.

"Yaz has got a really good eye, and he sees the ball good," Mattingly said. "He's got to use that and attack. He's a little like Joc. He's got to use the whole field."

He finished the afternoon 4 for 4 with three runs and two walks. Grandal's previous career high was five RBI. He has had just three multiple home run games in his career.

Grandal's eight RBI are the most for a Dodger since James Loney had nine in 2006. He entered play Thursday with just two home runs and four RBI in his first 22 games.

Two key Reds players remain out of the lineup for the Thursday game in Pittsburgh. Both shortstop Zack Cozart (finger) and catcher Devin Mesoraco (hip) are sidelined.

Cozart was removed from the Sunday game and has yet to return. He was able to take batting practice Thursday and made 40 throws Wednesday, reports MLB.com.

"There is still inflammation in there right now, but it just feels way better. I swung, took soft toss, and did my normal routine and it felt really good," Cozart said. "Swinging was obviously my biggest concern and [Thursday] was a good day, so far at least."

Manager Bryan Price did not rule out Cozart playing in Friday's game, reports MLB.com.

"I think it's more realistic to look and see where he is [Friday] as far as a potential start," Price said.

Mesoraco has played sparingly since April 11 and is considering surgery, which would take him away from the Reds for about a month.

Catcher Yasmani Grandal was back in the Dodgers' starting lineup, batting second for Thursday's matinee against the Brewers. Grandal was rested on Wednesday after starting five of the team's previous six games. Grandal has been hitting the ball well lately, going 10 for his last 35 with a home run and four doubles. 

He has been sharing the catching duties with A.J. Ellis, who was out of the lineup on Thursday.

Brewers catcher Martin Maldonado received a day off Thursday against the Dodgers for the first time in 10 games. Juan Centeno started in his absence.

Maldonado, who has started in the absence of Jonathan Lucroy, hasn't started just twice in 16 games. He is batting .196 (9 for 46) with one home run, four RBI, three walks, six runs and 13 strikeouts in 15 games since becoming the full-time starter.

Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia is expected to sign with the Diamondbacks once he clears waivers, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman. Saltalamacchia was designated for assignment by the Marlins on April 27 and was placed on release waivers Tuesday.

Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale confirmed Saltalamacchia will start out in the minors, per MLB Network Radio.

"He's going to play in Reno (Triple-A), get his game right and we'll figure out how we're going to work this thing," Hale said.

Tuffy Gosewisch has been the Diamondbacks' primary catcher in 2015, starting 19 of 26 games behind the plate. However, he hasn't provided much offensive support, batting just .208 with no extra-base hits and five RBI in 20 games.

The Mariners, Orioles and Royals were also teams reportedly interested in signing Saltalamacchia, who lost his starting job with the Marlins to rookie J.T. Realmuto.

Saltalamacchia has a .240/.310/.415/.725 slash line over nine MLB seasons. He hit a career-best 25 home runs in 2012 with the Red Sox.

Diamondbacks catcher Tuffy Gosewisch went 3 for 4 with one RBI, one run scored and one stolen base in his team's 5-1 win over the Rockies in Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader.

Gosewisch didn't see action in the early game Wednesday and entered the second game of the doubleheader with just one hit in 14 at-bats over his last five games. The three hits marked a season high and represented just his second multihit performance of the season. Gosewisch has hit .208/.250/.208 in 72 at-bats.

Reds catcher Brayan Pena was given the day off and held out of the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Pirates. Pena had started each of the last four games for Cincinnati, and has been hitting fairly well recently. Over his last eight games, the veteran catcher is hitting .269 (7 for 26) with three doubles.

Tucker Barnhart made his fifth start of the year behind the dish, batting eighth for manager Bryan Price. 

Padres top catching prospect Austin Hedges will make his first career start in Wednesday's game against the Padres. Hedges was recalled from Triple-A to make his Major League debut on Monday, and appeared as a pinch hitter that evening. 

Hedges will now make the start for Derek Norris who is getting the day off Wednesday. The two will likely be sharing time with Hedges as the season continues. Manager Bud Black insisted that Hedges will get playing time, and Wednesday seems to be an indication of that fact.

With the Padres' recent call-up of prized catching prospect Austin Hedges, manager Bud Black has offered a potential solution to getting him in the lineup more often, while also playing current catcher Derek Norris. Black said Tuesday that Norris could start taking some groundballs at first base, and might see some time there this season. 

"It would just be against certain left-handed pitchers, we want to keep his bat in the lineup, like for a day game after a night game, or if he's caught consecutive games," Black said, per MLB.com. "Take the load off his feet from catching."

Norris has played just one game at first base during his career, and that was in 2013. But Black expressed confidence that Norris could handle a transition.

"It would be a gradual build-up of reps. We are working through this," Black said. "But he was an amateur third baseman. He has good hands, good feet and a good baseball mind. This will not happen quick, but we're thinking about it."