MLB Player News
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Austin Barnes C | NYM
Dodgers' Austin Barnes: Resumes workouts
Barnes has resumed workouts and his slight groin strain is improving, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.
The backstop is currently on the 10-day injured list, but he's ramping up his activity level, and seems to be on track to spend the minimum amount of time on the IL. Prospect Will Smith was called up in Barnes' absence and bagged a pair of hits in his MLB debut Tuesday, so it will be interesting to see what manager Dave Roberts opts to do at the position should Smith continue to rake. Barnes was slashing .231/.345/.393 with four homers and 15 RBI over 117 at-bats while sharing duties with Russell Martin before the injury.
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Yan Gomes C | CHC
Nationals' Yan Gomes: Out again Wednesday
Gomes is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Braves.
Gomes will sit for a second straight game as Kurt Suzuki, who is hitting .292/.333/.542 with three homers and nine RBI in May, picks up another start behind the dish in his stead.
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Tucker Barnhart C | TEX
Reds' Tucker Barnhart: Sitting Wednesday
Barnhart is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Padres.
Barnhart was behind the plate for all nine innings of Tuesday's 11-6 win, finishing the night 1-for-4 with three RBI. He'll put his season-long seven-game hitting streak on hold while Curt Casali gets a turn at catcher in the series finale.
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Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Pair of hits in debut
Smith went 2-for-4 with a double and a run in the Dodgers' 7-3 defeat to the Mets on Tuesday.
Making his MLB debut, Smith made a positive first impression, slapping a single in his first career at-bat before cranking a two-bagger later in the game. The 24-year-old is a talented hitter and was lighting up Triple-A Oklahoma City before he was called up, so hopefully it continues to translate and he can make a case to manager Dave Roberts that he deserves regular at-bats while Austin Barnes (groin) is on the injured list.
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Yasmani Grandal C | PIT
Brewers' Yasmani Grandal: Clubs 11th homer
Grandal went 2-for-4 with a triple and a solo home run in Tuesday's 5-3 loss to the Twins.
The catcher now has 11 homers on the year, with three of them coming in the last six games. Grandal's .268/.373/.512 slash line through 50 games has the 30-year-old on pace for career highs in all three categories over the course of a full season.
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Yan Gomes C | CHC
Nationals' Yan Gomes: Gets Tuesday off
Gomes isn't in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Braves.
Gomes has reached base safely in each of his last six games, but he's in line for an off day. Kurt Suzuki draws the start behind the dish and is set to bat sixth.
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Elias Diaz C | KC
Pirates' Elias Diaz: Sitting for Game 2
Diaz isn't in the starting lineup for Game 2 of Monday's doubleheader against the Reds.
Diaz caught the first game of the day and went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. He'll take a seat for the nightcap with Jacob Stallings slated to start behind the dish and hit seventh.
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Austin Barnes C | NYM
Dodgers' Austin Barnes: Lands on injured list
Barnes has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a minor groin strain, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.
Barnes exited the Dodgers' game Sunday with the injury and although he reportedly lobbied to avoid an IL stint, he'll be shut down to let the knock mend. He's expected to miss the minimum 10 days, per Hoornstra. Highly rated prospect Will Smith has been called up to the big club from Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move.
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Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Officially called up
Smith has been called up to the Dodgers and is expected to start Tuesday against the Mets, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.
Smith's promotion was presumed after Austin Barnes sustained a groin injury Sunday that has landed him on the 10-day injured list, and the Dodgers made the move official Monday. Smith will get a chance to make an impact in short order, as manager Dave Roberts said he'll get his first MLB start Tuesday, per Hoornstra. Smith was mashing in Triple-A, posting a .954 OPS over 138 at-bats.
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Tucker Barnhart C | TEX
Reds' Tucker Barnhart: On bench for evening game
Barnhart is not in the lineup for the second game of Sunday's doubleheader against the Pirates.
Barnhart unsurprisingly won't be asked to catch two games in one day. He went 1-for-4 in the afternoon contest and will sit in favor of Curt Casali for the nightcap.