MLB Player News

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco reached base in all five of his plate appearances Monday, drawing two walks and getting hit by a pitch twice before launching a ninth-inning grand slam in his team's 6-1 win over the Cubs.

Mesoraco entered Monday with home runs in three straight games, and the Cubs appeared devoted to preventing him from delivering another blast -- until the ninth inning, when the catcher crushed a ball to center field to ice the game for the Reds. He's hit .315/.384/.651 with 13 home runs and 38 RBI in 146 at-bats duing his breakout season.

Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud is expected to be in New York for Tuesday's game against the A's, the team announced.

d'Arnaud, who left his game with Triple-A Las Vegas Monday to make the trip, went 24 for 55 with eight doubles, six home runs and 16 RBI in 15 games with the minor-league club. He is expected to take over starting duties at catcher moving forward.

A team source told the New York Daily News that a promotion for Mets catcher prospect Kevin Plawecki from Double-A Binghamton to Triple-A Las Vegas will happen "very soon." A move could coincide with the Mets' anticipated recall of catcher Travis d'Arnaud from Las Vegas this week.

Plawecki, a 2012 first-round pick, is batting .329 with a .376 on-base percentage, .491 slugging percentage and .867 OPS in 57 games for Binghamton. He has six home runs, 18 doubles, 43 RBI, 32 runs, 14 walks and 27 strikeouts as well.

The plan remains for the Mets to recall catcher Travis d'Arnaud from Triple-A Las Vegas during a two-game series vs. Oakland, which begins Tuesday, team insiders once again told ESPN.

d'Arnaud has been on a tear since his demotion to the minors a few weeks ago. He is batting .444 (24 for 54) with a .926 slugging percentage, 1.409 OPS, six home runs, eight doubles and 16 RBI in 14 games since his demotion.

"It's encouraging," general manager Sandy Alderson told ESPN of d'Arnaud's progress after Sunday's win at Miami.

Alderson added d'Arnaud's production can't be dismissed because of the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

"He's done it in other ballparks, too," Alderson said. "So it's not just Vegas. And off some decent pitching. [Tim] Cooney pitched [Saturday] night. So you can't totally discount it."

Mets manager Terry Collins feels catcher Travis d'Arnaud could be the spark the team's lineup needs when he returns from Triple-A Las Vegas, which is expected to happen later this week, per MLB.com.

d'Arnaud is hitting .453 with nine multi-hit games, eight doubles, six homers and 16 RBI in 13 games since being demoted to the minors in early June.

"Certainly, we don't expect him to hit .500, but if [going to the minors] helped and it's built up his confidence and he's changed a couple of things, then when he comes back, he'll be a big boost to us," Collins said.

"Hopefully, when Travis comes back, he brings that hot bat with him and ... Boy, I'll tell you, it changes that one part of the lineup to be that guy down there that can do some damage and drive in a run, because that's what we've been missing."

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco went 1 for 3 with a walk and a three-run home run in his team's 11-1 win over the Blue Jays Saturday.

Mesoraco has now rattled off home runs in three straight games as he begins to heat back up with the bat, going 8 for 19 over his last five games. He has hit .310/.365/.628 with 12 home runs and 34 RBI in 145 at-bats.

Catcher Travis d'Arnaud is torrid at Triple-A Las Vegas. It remains to be seen if he can carry his hot bat back to the Mets.

d'Arnaud believes it was in his head. "It was all mental," he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal about his poor production before a demotion and concussion. "Just focusing in on every at-bat like it's my last at-bat. Not thinking about a hundred different things. Just focusing on one thing and keeping a solid approach on each and every pitch. I kind of went away from that."

The 25-year-old d'Arnaud is expected to return to the Mets early next week. He was hitting just .180 before getting sent down, but is batting .432 with six home runs and 15 RBI in just 11 games with Las Vegas.

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco ended a 10-game homerless streak with a big shot late in Thursday's game against the Pirates.

Mesoraco was hitless before stepping to the plate in the ninth inning, but he sent the game into extra innings with his first hit, a solo home run off closer Jason Grilli. He finished the game 1 for 4 with a walk in addition to the one run driven in via home run.

Mesoraco has been in a slump in the month of June, hitting .200 with two home runs and four RBI in 13 games. Despite that, he is hitting .304/.358/.587 for the season. 

Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp has been promoted to the majors Thursday.

Rupp appeared briefly with the club last season, but has not been up in 2014. He's hitting .167 over 108 at-bats in Triple-A. 

The Mets have tentative plans to promote catcher Travis d'Arnaud during a two-game series against the A's that begins on June 24, ESPNNewYork.com reports.

D'Arnaud was optioned to the minors earlier in June after struggling to a .180/.271/.273 line in 128 at-bats. He's found his stroke at Triple-A Las Vegas, hitting .395 with five home runs and 10 RBI in 38 at-bats.