MLB Player News
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Tucker Barnhart C | TEX
Cubs' Tucker Barnhart: Sits against lefty
Barnhart is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Padres.
Barnhart will be on the bench for the second straight game, with both absences coming with the Cubs facing left-handed pitchers. Though Yan Gomes has logged 25 more plate appearances this season, Barnhart appears to have taken hold of a strong-side platoon role at catcher. Twenty-six of Barnhart's 28 plate appearances to date have come versus right-handed pitching, while Gomes has made only 31 of his 53 plate appearances against righties.
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Tomas Nido C | DET
Mets' Tomas Nido: On bench in second straight
Nido is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals.
Even though the Mets were off Monday, Nido will take a seat for the second straight game, as rookie Francisco Alvarez draws another turn behind the dish. Since Alvarez was called up from Triple-A Syracuse on April 7, Nido has taken on the bulk of the starts by virtue of his defensive acumen, but the veteran's anemic .281 OPS on the season could make it difficult for him to justify hanging on to the No. 1 role. Alvarez (.148/.148/.259 slash line in 27 plate appearances) hasn't stood out at the plate since being called up, either, but he'll be rewarded with another start after slugging a home run in Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Giants.
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Francisco Alvarez C | NYM
Mets' Francisco Alvarez: Gets another start at catcher
Alvarez is starting at catcher and batting ninth Tuesday against the Nationals.
Alvarez connected for his first major-league homer of the season in Sunday's series finale against the Giants and will be rewarded with a second straight start behind the dish as the Mets open a three-game set versus Washington. Tomas Nido is sitting.
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J.T. Realmuto C | PHI
Phillies' J.T. Realmuto: Jumps to fifth spot in order
Realmuto is batting fifth Tuesday night against the Mariners.
Realmuto has been slumping a bit lately and got pushed down to the sixth spot in the Phillies' lineup for a stretch, but he'll jump into the No. 5 slot Tuesday versus the Mariners and right-hander Logan Gilbert. Brandon Marsh is batting eighth in this one.
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Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Doing agility drills
Smith (concussion) went through agility drills Tuesday in Pittsburgh, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has already stated that Smith won't be activated during the team's three-game series against the Pirates that runs through Thursday, but it's a good sign the 28-year-old catcher is traveling with the team and now doing baseball activities. He could perhaps return from the 7-day injured list over the weekend.
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Jason Delay C | BOS
Pirates' Jason Delay: Stuck in reserve role
Delay is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Dodgers.
Delay had a brief run as the Pirates' No. 1 catcher earlier this month while Austin Hedges was on the 7-day concussion injured list, but Delay has faded back into a reserve role since Hedges was activated about a week and a half ago. Hedges has now picked up seven of the last nine starts at catcher for Pittsburgh.
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Joey Bart C | ATL
Giants' Joey Bart: Battling groin tightness
Bart left Monday's game against the Cardinals due to right groin tightness, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Bart was lifted from the contest in the seventh inning of Monday's clash, and he'll likely be re-evaluated Tuesday morning to determine his availability for the second game of the series. If he's unable to go, look for Blake Sabol to take over behind the dish.
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Joey Bart C | ATL
Giants' Joey Bart: Departs early
Bart left Monday's game against the Cardinals after suffering an apparent leg injury, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Bart exited the matchup after doubling in the bottom of the seventh inning when one of his legs appeared to lock up on him, per Pavlovic. He'll be considered day-to-day until the team has more information on the injury.
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Luis Campusano C | SD
Padres' Luis Campusano: Not yet playing catch
Campusano's injured left thumb is still in a soft cast, and it isn't known when the backstop will resume playing catch, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Campusano landed on the 10-day injured list April 17 as a result of spraining his thumb while catching a bullpen session. Though X-rays came back negative, the Padres are being cautious and waiting until the thumb is close to 100 percent before allowing Campusano to resume catching, according to manager Bob Melvin. Campusano is eligible to come off the IL on April 27, but it appears unlikely that he'll be ready to return by then.