MLB Player News

Stephenson went 2-for-4 with two RBI in Friday's 7-6 loss to Atlanta.

A two-run single in the sixth inning helped spark a Reds rally from a 7-1 deficit that ultimately fell short. Stephenson has three RBI through two games to begin his first season as the clear No. 1 catcher for Cincinnati.

Bart went 1-for-3 with a walk, a solo home run and a second run scored in Friday's 6-5 extra-inning win over the Marlins.

Getting the start behind the plate in the Giants' opener and hitting ninth, Bart launched a Sandy Alcantara offering to deep left-center field in the fifth inning. Buster Posey's heir apparent has big cleats to fill this season, but he at least figures to supply solid power numbers after slugging 10 homers and posting an .838 OPS over 67 games for Triple-A Sacramento last year.

Stallings went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Friday's 6-5 extra-inning loss to the Giants.

The Marlins' new starting catcher made an immediate impact in his debut for the team, taking Dominic Leone deep in the seventh inning for a two-run shot to get Miami on the board before bringing home Miguel Rojas with a single in the ninth as part of a three-run rally. Stallings hit a career-high eight homers in 112 games last season for the Pirates, so power hasn't been a big part of his game to date, but the 32-year-old wouldn't be the first backstop to grow as a hitter later in their career if he does keep slugging.

Nola is not in the lineup Friday against the Diamondbacks.

Nola started behind the plate Opening Day and went 1-for-4 with an RBI during the 4-2 loss in Arizona. Jorge Alfaro will start Friday's contest and form a battery with left-hander Sean Manaea.

McCann is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Nationals.

McCann started Opening Day for the Mets and went 0-for-2 with an RBI, and he was also hit by a pitch twice. Tomas Nido will take over behind the plate Friday to partner with Max Scherzer.

Nola went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Thursday's loss to Arizona.

Nola was the leadoff hitter Opening Day and while he may not hold that role on a regular basis, he at least made a contribution Thursday when he scored Ha-Seong Kim with an RBI single in the top of the fourth. Nola hit .272 with a .716 OPS over 56 games last season.

Ruiz went 2-for-4 with a double in Thursday's loss to the Mets.

It was a great start to the season for the young backstop, although Ruiz wasn't able to turn the knocks into production as the Nationals only managed six hits and one run on the day. Ruiz could be in line for a big first full campaign in the majors after slashing .310/.377/.616 with 21 homers and a 30:33 BB:K in 72 games at Triple-A in 2021.

Nola will start at catcher and bat leadoff in Thursday's season opener versus the Diamondbacks.

The Opening Day leadoff assignment is a nice surprise for Nola's fantasy managers, but it bears mentioning that Arizona is bringing a lefty (Madison Bumgarner) to the hill. The lefty-hitting Trent Grisham -- who is batting ninth Thursday -- typically slotted atop the lineup versus right-handed pitchers during Cactus League play, so expect that trend to carry over into the regular season. Nola will likely move to the bottom half of the San Diego lineup versus righties.

Marchan was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and placed on the 60-day injured list with a left hamstring strain Thursday.

Marchan missed out on an Opening Day roster spot this year, and he'll be sidelined for the first two months of the season due to a hamstring strain. His placement on the 60-day IL clears room on the 40-man roster for Bryson Stott, who had his contract selected by the Phillies on Thursday.

Smith finished Cactus League play hitting only .179, but four of his five hits went for extra bases, and he tallied two homers along with four RBI.

Smith began last season in a projected timeshare with Austin Barnes, but he eventually captured primary catcher duties with a standout campaign, and he's expected to log the bulk of the playing time behind the plate along with occasional DH duties in 2022. The 27-year-old has largely been targeted as a top-three catcher in fantasy drafts this season, and his combination of power and on-base skills justifies that expectation.