MLB Player News

Mets manager Terry Collins is dropping center fielder Juan Lagares one spot in the batting order. 

Lagares was a candidate for the leadoff spot in spring training, but he opened the season in the six hole in the order. After opening the season with a .160 average and six strikeouts in 25 at bats, Lagares will bat seventh on Monday. 

"If he continues to swing the bat like he can, he'll be in the leadoff spot," Collins said, per ESPN. "Right now, he's struggling a little bit. So we kind of like where he's at. We've got all the confidence in the world. When that confidence fades, we'll find somebody else. But, right now, this guy is one of the real, real good players and an up-and-coming star in this game."

Catcher Travis d'Arnaud, who is hitting .333 with five RBI, moves up from the seventh spot. 

The Marlins are likely to call up catcher J.T. Realmuto and infielder Reid Brignac from Triple-A New Orleans to the 25-man roster, according to a report from the Miami Herald. 

Realmuto and Brignac would replace utility man Don Kelly and Jeff Mathis, who could end up on the disabled list soon. Both Kelly and Mathis fractured fingers during Sunday's 8-5 loss to the Rays. 

Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy and second baseman Scooter Gennett are not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.

Lucroy is getting a break from starting Sunday after opening the season just 1 for 20, and Martin Maldonado will take his spot behind the plate. Manager Ron Roenicke said he isn't worried about Lucroy's slow start, the Journal Sentinel reports.

"Luc has had some good at-bats," Roenicke said Sunday. "He stayed on a breaking ball and hit a bullet to second yesterday. The day before he lined out to short. So he’s had some good at-bats. The first couple days he was lost, then he started swinging the bat again. I like what he’s doing."

With Lucroy out of the lineup, Jean Segura will move to the No. 2 slot, and the manager indicated that Segura's early-season performance made his choice for the spot easy.

"The way he’s been swinging it, yeah," Roenicke said. "Other than that, I don’t what I would have done. Sometimes you slip in a Khris Davis or somebody else. But Seggy, the way he’s swinging, he’s perfect."

Gennett is out of the lineup for the second straight game after getting ejected Friday for slamming his bat to the ground on a called strike three when the team had no backup infielders on the bench. Hector Gomez will get a second straight start at second base after going 2 for 3 Saturday.

The Brewers are favorites (-120) against the Pirates Sunday.

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley and catcher Carlos Ruiz are not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.

With Utley on the bench, third baseman Cody Asche, who didn't start Saturday's game, slides into the third spot in the lineup. Second baseman Cesar Hernandez and catcher Cameron Rupp will start Sunday and hit in the bottom third of the order.

The Phillies are heavy home underdogs (+180) against the Nationals Sunday.

Braves catcher Christian Bethancourt is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets.

Bethancourt is 3 for 15 with one walk, two doubles and two RBI in four games this season. The Braves will use A.J. Pierzynski behind the plate Sunday. Pierzynski, who is 1 for 2 with a walk and a home run, will bat fifth.

The Braves are favorites (-118) against the Mets Sunday, per VegasInsider.com.

Mets center fielder Juan Lagares has been moved to the leadoff spot for Sunday's game against the Braves.

Lagares will get the leadoff role with Curtis Granderson being replaced by John Mayberry in Sunday's lineup. The Mets are also giving second baseman Daniel Murphy and catcher Travis d'Arnaud a break from starting Sunday, with Ruben Tejada and Anthony Recker set to start against the Braves.

Manager Terry Collins indicated that while Murphy is fatigued, "his legs are fine," ESPNNewYork.com reports. Tejada was initially set to start ahead of Wilmer Flores Sunday but instead will spell Murphy at second base.

The Mets are underdogs (+104) against the Braves Sunday, per VegasInsider.com.

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.

Brayan Pena will draw the start behind the plate and bat seventh. Mesoraco is just 2 for 20 in his first five games of the season.

The Reds are underdogs (+105) against the Cardinals Sunday, per VegasInsider.com.

The Pirates have moved the rehab assignment of catcher Chris Stewart to Triple-A Indianapolis, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Stewart began his rehab assignment with Double-A Altoona Thursday. He's dealing with a hamstring injury and could be back with the Pirates this upcoming week.

Diamondbacks catcher Gerald Laird was scratched from Saturday's lineup against the Dodgers and replaced by Tuffy Gosewisch.

Laird was the preferred option to work behind the plate with rookie Archie Bradley slated to make his major-league debut, but he is been dealing with back tightness, the team announced. If the team thinks he'll need more than a few days to recover after re-evaluating him Saturday, he could be placed on the disabled list, the Arizona Republic reports.

The Diamondbacks are heavy underdogs (+185) against the Dodgers Saturday.

Pirates catcher Chris Stewart went 0 for 2 with a walk in the first game of his rehab assignment with Double-A Altoona Thursday.

Stewart initially injured his hamstring on March 9, and the issue caused him to open the season on the disabled list. He was also caught trying to steal second base in the third inning Thursday, and ended up catching eight innings before being removed for a pinch hitter in the ninth. Provided he doesn't encounter any setbacks, he could be back with the team soon.