MLB Player News

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco and right fielder Jay Bruce are not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs.

Mesoraco has seen just two plate appearances as a pinch-hitter in the last two weeks as he continues to deal with left hip impingement. Brayan Pena gets the call behind the plate and will bat eighth.

"Unless we get into a situation where we feel we need a player that can do more than solely pinch-hit, he'll continue to do his rehab in preparation to get back behind the plate," manager Bryan Price said Sunday, per MLB.com. "It will still be a few more days before we kick the tires on Devin getting down into the crouch and doing some catching work. At this point in time, he can still contribute as an offensive player. In the big picture, he replaced Chris Dominguez, and Chris was getting some limited opportunities to play as a pinch-hitter, but it can be a very valuable role."

Bruce has started each of the team's first 17 games in right field but will get his first break of the season Sunday. With Bruce on the bench, first baseman Joey Votto is the only player on the team to have started every gamethis season. Brennan Boesch will man right field and bat fifth in the team's matchup against righty Jake Arrieta.

The Reds are home underdogs (+105) Sunday.

Mets catcher and recent call up Kevin Plawecki delivered his first career major league home run on Saturday against the Yankees .

Plawecki, the Mets 2012 first-round draft pick, was called up mid-week following the fractured-finger injury to regular catcher Travis d'Arnaud.

Plawecki became the first player to hit his first MLB homer in a Subway Series game.

"It was a special day in many ways," Plawecki said.

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco was held out of the starting lineup again on Saturday against the Cubs.

Mesoraco has not been in the starting lineup since April 12 because of a left hip impingement, and has only made one pinch-hit appearance in that period. He remains hopeful of catching a bullpen session in the next few days, which could lead to his return as a starter. Mesoraco is hitting .091 (2 for 22) to start the season.

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco was not in the starting lineup Friday night against the Cubs, per MLB.com. Mesoraco has been out of the starting lineup since April 12 because of a left hip impingement, but made a pinch-hit appearance on Tuesday against Milwaukee. He is hoping to catch a bullpen in the next few days, per the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Brayan Pena batted seventh in his place again.

Cincinnati is an underdog (+100) at home against Chicago, per VegasInsider.com.

Reds speedster Billy Hamilton had been successful on all nine of his stolen bases this season until Brewers catcher Martin Maldonado threw him out in the sixth inning Thursday.

It marked the first time all year that a Cincinnati steal attempt was thwarted. The team was 17-for-17 before Hamilton was nailed.

Veteran A.J. Pierzynski is not supposed to be the starting catcher for the Braves. But maybe he is. Sort of.

The ambiguity is coming from Pierzynski himself, who seems to be wresting the job away from Christian Bethancourt. The former not only played Wednesday night, but also in an afternoon game Thursday.

Pierzynski has simply outperformed Bethancourt at the plate. His three-hit game Wednesday raised his average to .391 with three home runs, five RBI and an .826 slugging percentage. He's on a six-game hitting streak and is one start on the year behind Bethancourt, who was the declared starter before the season began.

"He's swinging it," Fredi Gonzalez told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "...He's not your normal prototypical catcher-backup guy that'll only catch 20, 30 games a year."

One regular has returned, but another is getting a day off Thursday for the Pirates.

Shortstop Jordy Mercer is back in the lineup against the Cubs after being sidelined since Monday with a rib injury. He hopes to bring a hotter bat - he is in a 1-for-15 slump

Meanwhile, starting catcher Francisco Cervelli is catching a break for a day game following a night game. Chris Stewart will squat behind the plate instead.

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco (hip) did not return to the starting lineup Thursday against the Brewers. Tucker Barnhart started at catcher for the Reds.

Mesoraco has not started since April 11. He did make a pinch-hit appearance Tuesday.

Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg chose to rest four of his starters for Thursday's day game against the Marlins.

First baseman Ryan Howard, second baseman Chase Utley, shortstop Freddy Galvis and catcher Carlos Ruiz were all held out of the starting lineup. Darin Ruf started at first base, Cesar Hernandez started at second base, Andres Blanco started at shortstop and Cameron Rupp started at catcher.

Ruiz (.184), Howard (.196) and Utley (.120) are all batting below the Mendoza Line (.200). Galvis is batting .300 (15 for 50) with one double, one triple, one home run and eight RBI through 14 games.

Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis is in the starting lineup and batting eighth Wednesday against the Giants, pushing Yasmani Grandal to the bench.

Ellis will make just his fifth start of the year and is hitting .143 with a double in 14 at-bats this season.