MLB Player News

Smith will be on the bench Saturday against the Rockies, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

The Dodgers made it clear over the offseason that Smith wouldn't find himself in the lineup all that more often than Austin Barnes this season. That's been the case through the first three games of the year, with Smith starting just once and Barnes starting twice. Smith went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, two runs and two RBI Friday, but even that wasn't enough to keep him in the lineup.

Barnes (hand) will catch and bat eighth Saturday against the Rockies, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Barnes left Thursday's season opener with a cut on his hand following a collision at home plate. He didn't appear in Friday's contest but is ready to go again Saturday, starting ahead of Will Smith for the second time in the first three games.

Diaz will sit Saturday against the Dodgers, Jenny Cavnar of AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain reports.

Diaz started behind the plate on Opening Day but now finds himself on the bench for the second game in a row. Dom Nunez will get another start in his absence.

Contreras is starting at catcher and batting first in Saturday's game against the Pirates.

It's not every day that a catcher bats leadoff, but Contreras was already batting second for the Cubs, and he'll now move up a spot with Ian Happ out of Saturday's lineup. Contreras doesn't offer a ton of speed atop the lineup, though he's good at getting on base and could score a handful of runs if the Chicago bats behind him are able to get going after a sluggish season opener Thursday.

Smith went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and two RBI in Friday's 11-6 win over the Rockies.

Making his first start of the season, Smith took full advantage of Coors Field's expansive outfield. Austin Barnes injured his hand Opening Day but is still expected to be back behind the plate Saturday, and the only thing standing between Smith and a huge 2021 campaign might be the fact that he's stuck in a timeshare.

Caratini is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Diamondbacks.

The 27-year-old received the start Opening Day with Austin Nola (finger) sidelined, and Caratini went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one strikeout. Luis Campusano will catch for lefty Blake Snell on Friday.

Diaz is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Dodgers.

Diaz went 1-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts Opening Day and will head to the bench for Friday's contest. Dom Nunez will start behind the plate and bat eighth in the second game of the season.

Realmuto went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a double in Thursday's 3-2 win over Atlanta.

Catchers rarely hit in the cleanup spot, but Realmuto, arguably baseball's biggest offensive threat at his position, appears comfortable hitting behind Bryce Harper in the four hole. A thumb injury delayed Realmuto's spring debut and limited him to 18 exhibition plate appearances, but he looked up to game speed and primed for a productive season. Realmuto is paid like MLB's best catcher, and Opening Day suggested he's fully prepared to justify the five-year deal.

Contreras went 0-for-3 with two runs, an RBI and a stolen base in Thursday's 5-3 loss to Pittsburgh.

It was a productive, albeit hitless, performance for Contreras, who reached base on an error and a fielder's choice before finishing the contest with a sacrifice fly. The catcher has been an inconsistent hitter the last few years, excelling in 2017 and 2019 but struggling in 2018 and 2020. Manager David Ross clearly has faith in his ability to bounce back in 2021 as Contreras hit second in Thursday's order. The 28-year-old figures to start the majority of Chicago's games largely because his backups, Tony Wolters and Austin Romine (knee), lack offensive upside.

Georgia prosecutors dropped felony marijuana possession charges against Campusano on Friday due to a lack of probable cause for the traffic stop that led to his October arrest, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Campusano was pulled over in the early morning and found with 79 grams (2.8 ounces) of marijuana in his car. The offense is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison in Georgia but results in a much lighter sentence in other parts of the country. In Camupasano's case, it won't result in any punishment at all. Campusano will remain as the Padres' backup catcher in the short term, but he'll likely head to the minors once Austin Nola (finger) gets healthy.