MLB Player News

Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal is out of the lineup for the nightcap of the Thursday doubleheader in Cincinnati. He went hitless in Game 1 to lower his batting average to .209.

Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud was dealing with some concussion-related symptoms after being hit by a backswing Tuesday, prompting the team to put him through concussion tests.

"He's had some symptoms, so the concern is that maybe it's concussion-related," general manager Sandy Alderson told MLB.com Wednesday. "We'll run the tests and see where he's at."

d'Arnaud felt dizzy after Tuesday's game, which kicked in the testing. He is a candidate for the 7-day disabled list if the test results come back positive. 

Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud was not feeling well Wednesday after getting hit on the helmet with a backswing Tuesday. d'Arnaud is expected to undergo concussion tests, per the New York Post.

The Giants have proven willing to experiment with the first base position in recent years, and catcher Hector Sanchez was just the latest unfamiliar player to get a shot at the position. Sanchez  started at first base Tuesday against the Braves.

"He has pretty good hands and I think he can handle it," manager Bruce Bochy told MLB.com "We'll have to see how it goes. With [Brandon] Belt out, we're going to get a little creative here."

Of course, Sanchez's defensive acumen at a position he has played just once before, in a spring training game, isn't the reason he is in the lineup. Sanchez is hitting .353 over the last 10 games, and ranks fifth on the team with 16 RBI in just 64 trips to the plate.

"That's why he's out there today," Bochy said. "He's been driving in some key runs. You try to find a way to get that bat in the lineup."

The Reds announced Tuesday catcher Devin Mesoraco (hamstring) joined Triple-A Louisville for a rehab assignment. Mesoraco could be back with the Reds by the end of the week.

Reds manager Bryan Price said Sunday catcher Devin Mesoraco (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment in the next day or two, per the Cincinnati Enquirer. Mesoraco could be ready to join the team for its upcoming road trip, which begins Friday at Philadelphia.

A very short rehab stint awaits Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco, who has been sidelined since April 26 with a hamstring injury.

Mesoraco will likely only rehab in the minors for one or two games before returning to the big league club. He would be thrilled to pick up where he left off at the plate. He rang up a .468 batting average and .787 slugging percentage in 47 at-bats before going down.

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco is hoping to be back Sunday, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. 

Mesoraco is coming back from an oblique injury, and was abel to run the bases Friday. He said he felt "normal" after the workout. Mesoraco is eligible to come off the disabled list Sunday.

Mesoraco was hitting .468 in 47 at-bats prior to the injury.

Between the 50-game suspension to begin last season and the torn ACL to end it, Yasmani Grandal has given Fantasy owners ample reason to forget about him. But with three home runs in his last five games, he's doing his best to help them remember.

To remember that, as a rookie two years ago, he hit .297 with eight home runs in 192 at-bats with a near 1-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio. To remember that, at the time of his injury last year, he was just beginning to find his form, batting .281 with six doubles and a stellar .425 on-base percentage in his final 11 games. To remember that, in his days with the Reds before the Mat Latos trade, he was a big-time prospect who some evaluators considered superior to Devin Mesoraco.

Even more encouraging than the home runs is the fact that he's started four straight games and six of the last seven. The Padres didn't want him catching back-to-back games to begin the year, hoping to give his knee a little more time to heal, but they seem to be relaxing their approach to him now, even working him into the lineup at first base from time to time.

If you're burned out on Travis d'Arnaud in a deeper league and looking to give someone else to try, Grandal has arguably just as much upside.

Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal went 1 for 4 with a solo home run in his team's 3-1 loss to the Royals Tuesday.

Granadal smacked his home run in the fourth inning, giving his team a 1-0 lead, but they were unable to stay ahead and couldn't manage to score in extra innings. He has hit .253/.333/.493 with four home runs and 11 RBI in 75 at-bats.