MLB Player News
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Chad Wallach C | ATH
Marlins' Chad Wallach: Up as third catcher
Wallach was called up by the Marlins on Saturday.
Wallach has a career .119/.159/.143 line in 15 major-league games and hit just .224/.324/.333 in 44 games for Triple-A New Orleans. He's likely the third catcher behind J.T. Realmuto and Bryan Holaday, though he wouldn't have much fantasy value even in a larger role.
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Willson Contreras 1B | BOS
Cubs' Willson Contreras: Day off Saturday
Contreras is not in the lineup Saturday against the Phillies.
Contreras hit just .212/.323/.300 in August. Victor Caratini will start in his place Saturday.
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Elias Diaz C | KC
Pirates' Elias Diaz: Exits with hamstring discomfort
Elias exited Friday's game against the braves with right hamstring discomfort, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Diaz suffered the injury attempting to beat out a grounder to first base in the seventh inning. Francisco Cervelli replaced him in the bottom half of the frame. Diaz should be considered day-to-day.
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Elias Diaz C | KC
Pirates' Elias Diaz: Suffers injury Friday
Diaz left Friday's game with an apparent right leg injury after attempting to beat out a ground ball to the shortstop.
It looks likely that Diaz injured his right hamstring as he pulled up right before passing first base. Francisco Cervelli replaced him at catcher in the bottom of the inning. Diaz went 1-for-3 with an RBI single prior to leaving the game.
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KJ Harrison C | WAS
Nationals' KJ Harrison: Sent to Nationals
The Brewers traded Harrison and Gilbert Lara to the Nationals on Friday in exchange for Gio Gonzalez, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Harrison, a 2017 third-round pick, hit .228/.298/.384 across 115 games with Low-A Wisconsin before being traded. The 22-year-old split time between catcher and designated hitter, starting 26 games behind the dish and 37 at DH.
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Kevin Plawecki C | TEX
Mets' Kevin Plawecki: Put on paternity leave
Plawecki was placed on the paternity list prior to Friday's game against the Giants, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Plawecki will be away from the team for Friday's contest and could miss up to three games while with his family. Devin Mesoraco will fill in behind the plate in his stead.
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Devin Mesoraco C | NYM
Mets' Devin Mesoraco: Back in Friday's lineup
Mesoraco (neck) will catch and bat sixth against the Giants on Friday, Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group reports.
Mesoraco hasn't played since Aug. 23 after suffering a neck sprain. It appears as though he's fully recovered heading into a three-game set with San Francisco.
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Chris Stewart C | ATL
Diamondbacks' Chris Stewart: Sent to Diamondbacks
Stewart was traded from the Braves to the Diamondbacks on Thursday, Robert Murray of The Athletic Wisconsin reports.
Stewart appeared in just five games for the Braves before being traded, struggling to an unsightly .214/.250/.214 slash line. He put together a similarly poor line with Triple-A Gwinnett, slashing .219/.299/.277 across 47 games. The veteran backstop should serve as organizational catching depth for Arizona.
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Yasmani Grandal C | PIT
Dodgers' Yasmani Grandal: Not in Thursday's lineup
Grandal is out of the lineup versus the Diamondbacks on Thursday.
Grandal will receive a standard day off for the series opener after starting the past two games. In his place, Austin Barnes will catch Rich Hill and bat eighth.
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Curt Casali C | ATL
Reds' Curt Casali: Sticks in lineup despite Votto's return
Casali will start at catcher and bat sixth Thursday against the Brewers, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic Cincinnati reports.
After starting at first base Wednesday and finishing 3-for-5 with an RBI in the Reds' 13-12 loss in 10 innings, Casali will move behind the plate for the series finale with regular backstop Tucker Barnhart receiving the day off. The absence of Joey Votto (lower leg) has allowed Casali and Barnhart to rotate duties at catcher and first base over the last several games, but with Votto returning from the DL on Thursday, the two will likely be limited almost exclusively to catching duties going forward. Expect Barnhart, a 2017 Gold Glove winner, to see the overwhelming share of starts at catcher in the season's final month, leaving few opportunities left over for Casali.