MLB Player News

Nido isn't starting Saturday against the Mariners.

Nido started in the last three games and went 2-for-9 with an RBI, a walk and two strikeouts. Patrick Mazeika will take over behind the plate and bat ninth Saturday.

Perez is on the bench Saturday against Cincinnati.

Perez began the year in the minors but seems to have leapt over Andrew Knapp into the starting role with Roberto Perez (hamstring) on the injured list. He started five of the last six games prior to Saturday's contest, but it will be Knapp behind the plate this time around.

Narvaez isn't starting Saturday against Miami.

Narvaez has logged multi-hit performances in his last two games, but he'll be out of the lineup for the third time in the last four matchups. Victor Caratini will start behind the plate and bat ninth.

Nola isn't starting Saturday against Atlanta.

Nola went 1-for-4 with a double, a run and a walk in Friday's series opener, but he'll be out of the lineup for the second time in the last three games. Jorge Alfaro will start behind the dish and bat ninth.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Friday's 11-6 loss to the Padres.

The young backstop took Yu Darvish deep in the third inning to open the scoring for Atlanta. Travis d'Arnaud is playing well enough to keep the starting job behind the plate, but Contreras is showing he belongs in the majors on a full-time basis, slugging four homers in five starts since his promotion in late April while batting .375 (6-for-16) with seven RBI. Should d'Arnaud get hurt or slump, Contreras could become a fantasy asset even in shallow formats, and not just a DFS darling.

Barnes went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI in a loss to the Phillies on Friday.

Barnes started for the third time in five days with primary catcher Will Smith nursing a pectoral issue. The backup backstop responded with his first three-hit effort of the campaign. Barnes has seen limited action this season, but he has hit well when given the chance, compiling a .286/.359/.600 slash line with three homers, eight RBI and seven runs through 39 plate appearances.

Casali went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Friday's 8-2 win over the Cardinals.

Casali capped off a five-run eighth inning with his blast off Cardinals reliever T.J. McFarland. This was Casali's first homer of the season, and just his third extra-base hit. The catcher is slashing a solid .256/.333/.372 with five RBI, four runs scored and two doubles through 48 plate appearances. He'll likely continue to split time behind the dish with Joey Bart, though Casali's been the more consistent of the Giants' two backstops in recent games.

Smith is managing a pectoral issue but will return to the lineup Saturday against the Phillies, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

The pectoral problem will send Smith to the bench Friday, but the issue doesn't seem to be a major one. He'll get one more day off from catching, as he's expected to be the designated hitter Saturday, but he's penciled in as the Dodgers' catcher for the team's next three games.

Smith will sit Friday against the Phillies, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith sits after going 3-for-4 with a walk and three RBI in Friday's series opener. Austin Barnes will take over behind the plate.

Bart is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Cardinals, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Bart and Curt Casali have alternated turns behind the plate over the last six games. Casali will catch for Logan Webb on Friday, but Bart should return to the lineup Saturday if the pattern continues.