MLB Player News

Stephenson was added to the Reds' 40-man roster Wednesday.

This move was a lock on the final day to protect prospects from the Rule 5 draft. Stephenson is clearly the catcher of the future in Cincinnati, but he will need to head to Triple-A for at least a month or two before making his big-league debut. He hit .285/.372/.410 with a 10.2 percent walk rate, 16.5 percent strikeout rate and six home runs in 89 games at Double-A and made up for lost time with 13 games in the Arizona Fall League. Stephenson has big raw power and is patient at the dish, which will hopefully make up for the fact that he isn't the greatest defensive catcher.

Contreras' contract was selected by the Braves on Tuesday.

Although the 21-year-old was effective in the minors last season, his addition to the 40-man roster is more so to protect him from the Rule 5 draft rather than an indication of his readiness to contribute. In 110 games between the High-A and Double-A levels last season, Contreras hit .255/.315/.354 with six home runs and 39 RBI.

Wallach (concussion) was reinstated from the 60-day inured list Friday, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Players can't spend the offseason on the injured list, so the move indicates nothing about Wallach's health. A concussion the catcher suffered in late May lingered for the rest of the season, and he played in just four rehab games the rest of the season, with just one of those coming after the All-Star break.

Gomes is in the starting lineup for Game 7 of the World Series against the Astros on Wednesday.

Kurt Suzuki (hip) was initially listed as the starter for Wednesday's game, but he was scratched and Gomes will take his place, batting eighth. While Suzuki has been sidelined since Game 3 of the World Series with a left hip flexor issue, Gomes has gone 3-for-12 with a double and two strikeouts.

Heineman was outrighted to Triple-A New Orleans on Wednesday, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

The 28-year-old appeared in just five games after being promoted to the majors, recording a .909 OPS with one home run. Heineman amassed a .336/.400/.590 slash line with 13 home runs and 38 RBI in 73 games at the Triple-A level last season.

Bart will be out 4-to-6 weeks with a non-displaced fracture of his right thumb but won't require surgery.

Bart was hit by a pitch Tuesday while playing in the Arizona Fall League, and he'll obviously be sidelined for the remainder of that season. Overall it's relatively good news, as the 22-year-old shouldn't have any issues being ready for spring training in February.

Bart suffered a fractured right thumb Tuesday while playing in the Arizona Fall League, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The fractured thumb will cause Bart to miss the rest of the AZL season. The 22-year-old had hit three home runs with six RBI over nine games played in the Arizona Fall League.

Smith is out of the lineup Sunday for Game 3 of the NLDS between the Dodgers and the Nationals, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Smith will take a seat Sunday in a tilt against the Nationals as Russell Martin will get the nod behind the plate in favor of the rookie. Through the first two games, Smith has gone 1-for-7 with three strikeouts and a walk. The righty showed flashes of solid power during the regular season but also had a tendency to strike out in bunches. After Smith struggled in his first two career playoff games, the Dodgers will turn to the veteran in Martin in a decisive Game 3. After all, Martin and starter Hyun-Jin Ryu have combined for a 1.52 ERA in 20 starts this season.

Gomes is in the starting lineup for Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Dodgers on Thursday.

After sitting in favor of Kurt Suzuki during the wild-card matchup, Gomes will receive the start for the first game of the NLDS against right-hander Walker Buehler. Suzuki will retreat to the bench for Game 1.

Gomes will be on the bench for Tuesday's wild-card matchup with the Brewers, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

The Nationals rode Gomes heavily down the stretch while Kurt Suzuki contended with elbow inflammation for much of September, but the latter will get the nod for the win-or-go-home game now that he's healthy again. Gomes could be in store for a limited role for the duration of the postseason before likely parting ways with the Nationals over the winter. Washington is expected to decline his $9 million club option for 2020.