MLB Player News

Casali (hip) thinks he'll be back in game action in a week, John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Initial reports suggested that Casali wouldn't be ready for game action until mid-March, giving him just two weeks to prepare for Opening Day, but he appears to be a week ahead of that timeline. He'll have the inside shot on the Reds' backup catcher job if healthy, though the team also has Kyle Farmer and Rule 5 pick Connor Joe in camp.

Contreras went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run and two runs scored in Wednesday's Cactus League win over the Rangers.

Contreras is off to a good start this spring, as he now has two home runs and five RBI in his first three games. The 26-year-old catcher took a step back in the power department last season, as he saw his home-run total dip from 21 in 2017 to just 10 last year. If Contreras can regain his homer stroke in 2019 he should be among the top catchers in fantasy baseball.

D'Arnaud (elbow) said he's "getting close to being in games," Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. "Everything feels good," said the backstop. "Defensively, good. Offensively, good."

The Mets have brought d'Arnaud along slowly this spring as he works back from Tommy John surgery that he underwent last April. While he remains without a concrete return date at the moment, the 30-year-old suggested he could be cleared to make his Grapefruit League debut within a matter of days, as he's cleared most of the necessary hurdles. Once healthy, d'Arnaud will compete with Devin Mesoraco for the team's backup catching role.

Diaz is week-to-week with a virus and could begin the regular season on the injured list, John Perrotto of DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.

Director of medicine Todd Tomczyk did not reveal Diaz's specific ailment. The backstop missed time with a case of cellulitis in 2017. Francisco Cervelli and Jacob Stallings would likely share catching duties if Diaz is forced to miss the start of the regular season. Unless Diaz's illness is more serious than is currently known, the 27-year-old figures to see significant playing time in 2019. He hit .286 with 10 homers and 34 RBI in 252 at-bats last season.

Contreras went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run during Tuesday's spring win over the Mets.

Contreras entered as a substitute for starter Brian McCann and showcased some of his power. The 21-year-old had a .285/.347/.436 slash line between Low-A Rome and High-A Florida in 2018.

Diaz (illness) isn't included in the lineup for Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins.

Diaz fell ill about a week ago and is apparently still working to regain health, which has prompted the Pirates to lean on the likes of Francisco Cervelli, Jacob Stallings and non-roster invitee Steve Baron for work behind the plate early in the exhibition schedule. There has been no indication from the team that Diaz's illness is a long-term issue, so he'll likely return to action at some point in the near future and erase any concern about his status for Opening Day. With Cervelli a candidate to be traded elsewhere this season and perhaps likely to see less time behind the plate compared to previous years due to his concussion history, Diaz should earn more starts this season than most backup catchers around the league.

Barnhart (personal) will start at catcher and bat seventh in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Giants.

Barnhart had been scheduled to play in Monday's exhibition versus the Mariners but was scratched shortly before opening pitch to tend to a personal issue. With the backstop having seemingly taken care of the matter, he'll re-enter the lineup for what will be his second appearance of the Reds' Cactus League slate.

Barnhart was scratched from Monday's game against the Mariners for personal reasons, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Barnhart was replaced by Chris Okey in the lineup. At this point, it's unclear when the backstop will be available again.

Barnhart (undisclosed) was scratched from Monday's game against the Mariners, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

It's unclear why Barnhart was removed from Monday's lineup at the moment. Chris Okey took his place behind the dish.

Casali (hip) is unlikely to play in spring training games until mid-March, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The party line from the Reds is that they still expect him to be ready for the start of the season, but will two weeks of game action be enough to get his timing down? The Reds can afford to be patient with Casali's return, having traded for Kyle Farmer and selecting Connor Joe in the Rule 5 draft.