MLB Player News

Smith is absent from the lineup for Tuesday's contest versus the Nationals.

It's a routine day off for Smith, who has now started 10 of 13 games this season. Austin Barnes will catch and bat ninth for the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Goodman is not in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Brewers.

It's the first day off this season for Goodman, who has made six starts at catcher and three starts at designated hitter in the Rockies' first nine games. Jacob Stallings is behind the dish and batting eighth Tuesday, while Kris Bryant is serving as the DH.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that Alvarez (hand) will begin a rehab assignment Wednesday at Single-A St. Lucie, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

The 23-year-old took live batting practice Tuesday, and that was apparently the final hurdle before being cleared for game action. Alvarez has been sidelined for the past month due to a hamate fracture in his left hand for which he underwent surgery, and he'll likely need at least a handful of games in the minors to get up to speed before making his 2025 debut for the Mets.

Alvarez (hand) took live batting practice on the field Tuesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Alvarez had been hitting in the cage, but Tuesday marked the first time that he took batting practice on the field since he underwent surgery on a fractured hamate bone in his left hand back on March 10. While the Mets haven't revealed a specific timetable for their starting catcher's return, Alvarez's recovery has come along nicely, and he could make it back before the end of April if all goes well.

Torrens (forearm) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Marlins.

Hayden Senger will pick up a fourth consecutive start while Torrens gets another day off to recover from a right forearm bruise. Torrens made an appearance off the bench Friday, and the Mets haven't added another healthy catcher to the roster, so for the time being, the 28-year-old doesn't look as though he'll require a stint on the injured list.

Bart went 2-for-4 with a home run, a triple and two runs scored in Monday's win over St. Louis.

Bart drilled a solo shot in the first inning and added an RBI triple in the seventh. Those were his first two extra-base hits of the season. He had been stuck in a 2-for-16 skid since his last multi-hit performance in Miami on March 29. Bart is slashing .250/.351/.406 with four runs scored through 37 plate appearances.

Stephenson (oblique) received more good news after undergoing an MRI on Monday, and he'll begin to be more aggressive in his recovery, Pat Brennan of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Stephenson is continuing to fight through a left oblique injury, but another MRI showed that he's moving in the right direction. The Reds have yet to disclose a concrete timetable for a return, though he'll likely need to see at least a handful of at-bats in the minors before being activated from the 10-day injured list.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Monday that Herrera will miss at least four weeks after being diagnosed with a bone bruise in his left knee, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Testing on Herrera's knee came back negative for structural damage, but the bone bruise is going to cost the young catcher a month of action, at minimum. Pedro Pages will take on the primary catcher duties for the Cardinals while Herrera is out, and Yohel Pozo has been called up from Triple-A Memphis to serve as Pages' backup.

Kelly is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rangers.

Miguel Amaya will receive a turn behind the plate while Kelly rests after starting at catcher in the Cubs' previous two contests. The playing time at catcher has tilted in favor of Kelly so far this season while he's gotten off to a scorching start with four extra-base hits and seven walks through his first 26 plate appearances.

Hicks is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Mets.

After starting the last three games while top backstop Nick Fortes dealt with a stiff neck, Hicks will retreat to the bench now that Fortes has seemingly moved past the issue. A Rule 5 draft pick over the winter, Hicks has appeared in six games so far this season and has gone 4-for-17 with an RBI.