MLB Player News

Stephenson went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, a pair of walks and a second run scored in Friday's 11-5 win over Colorado.

Stephenson got the start behind the dish Friday, and he supplied a solo shot in the fifth inning. The catcher is slashing a solid .267/.368/.420 with four homers, 17 RBI and 21 runs scored across 152 plate appearances. Tucker Barnhart has posted similar numbers this year, which will likely leave Stephenson in a backup role.

Barnes was not in Friday's lineup despite Clayton Kershaw starting for the Dodgers, but manager Dave Roberts says it was just a standard day off after he started Thursday, Dodger Insider reports.

Will Smith will catch Kershaw for the first time this year and just the second time since the start of last season. Barnes recently returned from an ankle injury, so the team didn't want him to catch on back-to-back days.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a walk, a solo home run and a second run scored in Friday's win over the Cardinals.

Contreras hit his 11th home run of the season in the eighth inning, giving the Cubs their final run of the day in the 8-5 victory. The catcher is third on the team in long balls, trailing Javier Baez (14 home runs) and Kris Bryant (13). Contreras is one of the best-hitting backstops in the game and should remain a strong fantasy asset.

Stallings will sit Friday against the Brewers, Jake Crouse of MLB.com reports.

Stallings sits for the third time in five games. He's hit just .163/.200/.233 over his last 12 contests. Michael Perez will start behind the plate in his absence.

Barnhart is not in the lineup Friday against the Rockies.

Barnhart is 3-for-20 through six games in June and will take a seat Friday with southpaw Kyle Freeland starting for Colorado. Tyler Stephenson will start behind the plate and bat cleanup.

Casali (wrist) could be reinstated from the 10-day injured list as early as Saturday or Sunday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Casali has been sidelined since June 1 due to a left wrist strain, but the issue wasn't considered particularly serious. Manager Gabe Kapler is hopeful that the catcher will be able to return to the active roster after spending just over the minimum amount of time on the injured list.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Phillies.

Contreras went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI while catching the entirety of Wednesday's 2-1 loss, so he'll just be getting a breather as Atlanta and Philadelphia conclude their series with a day game after a night game. Kevan Smith will work in a battery with starting pitcher Ian Anderson on Thursday.

Marchan was recalled by the Phillies on Thursday.

Chase Anderson landed on the COVID-19 injured list in a corresponding move, which means Marchan is merely with the team as the third catcher. He's unlikely to see many at-bats during his time with the team and appears to be primarily around in an insurance role.

Stephenson is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Brewers.

Stephenson had started 17 of the Reds' previous 19 games, with most of those opportunities coming at first base. However, with Joey Votto returning from the injured list Tuesday, Stephenson's time as an everyday player for the Reds could be over. Stephenson should still get a handful of starts per week when Votto and top catcher Tucker Barnhart require rest, but the 24-year-old's expected downturn in playing time could make it difficult to justify holding him in most leagues. Compared to most catcher-eligible players, Stephenson has been quite productive this season with a .268 average, three home runs, 19 runs and 16 RBI across 146 plate appearances.

Narvaez is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Reds.

Manny Pina will be behind the plate for Milwaukee in the series finale, catching for starting pitcher Freddy Peralta. Narvaez had caught in five of the Brewers' last six games, going 6-for-16 with two home runs, four walks, a double, seven runs and three RBI over that stretch.