MLB Player News

Murphy is not in the lineup Friday against the Dodgers.

Travis d'Arnaud will do the catching for Atlanta and bat sixth. Murphy has been getting more rest in recent weeks as the runaway NL East leaders look ahead to October.

Stephenson is not in the starting lineup for the second game of Friday's doubleheader with the Cubs.

Stephenson will head to the bench after he went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout in the team's 6-2 loss to Chicago in the matinee. Luke Maile will start behind the plate and bat ninth in the nightcap.

Gomes is absent from the lineup for the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Reds.

Miguel Amaya will do the catching for Jordan Wicks. Gomes should be back behind the dish for the nightcap.

Bailey is out of the lineup Thursday versus the Padres.

Blake Sabol will catch and bat eighth in the Giants' series opener at San Diego after Bailey drew five straight starts behind the plate. He went 5-for-18 (.278) with one homer and six RBI during that five-game stretch.

Stallings is not in the lineup Thursday at Washington.

Nick Fortes will get a second straight start behind the plate as the Marlins open a four-game series against the Nationals. Both catchers have struggled offensively this season.

Smith is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Diamondbacks.

It's a routine day of rest for Smith, who went 4-for-10 with a solo homer and two runs scored in the first two games of the Dodgers' three-game series versus Arizona. Austin Barnes will catch and bat ninth.

Moreno is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers.

Jose Herrera will get a rare start at catcher as Moreno takes a breather. Moreno, 23, has slashed .340/.380/.638 with three home runs and 12 RBI in 13 games since he returned Aug. 13 from a bout of shoulder inflammation, and he is playing almost every day.

Murphy is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Murphy will get a breather for the series finale after he went 4-for-9 with three doubles, two runs and two RBI while starting behind the plate in the first two games at Coors Field. Travis d'Arnaud will form a battery with starting pitcher Darius Vines in the latter's MLB debut Wednesday.

Barnhart agreed to a minor-league contract with the Dodgers on Wednesday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

The Dodgers already have Will Smith and Austin Barnes as their catching options at the MLB level and both are healthy, so Barnhart looks as though he'll represent little more than organizational depth for Los Angeles. However, with the active roster expanding from 26 to 28 men in September, Barnhart could be a candidate to join the big club during the final month of the season as a third option behind the dish. Prior to being let go by the Cubs earlier this month, Barnhart slashed .202/.285/.257 with one home run in 123 plate appearances on the season.

Alvarez is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Rangers.

Alvarez has now started just two of the last five games and five of the last 10 contests. The young catcher might be tiring, as he comes into action Wednesday with a .459 OPS in August. Omar Narvaez will handle the catching duties in Wednesday's series finale.