MLB Player News

Plawecki is not starting Saturday against the Phillies.

Plawecki took a pitch off his ribs in Wednesday's game and was forced to exit, but he was able to start Friday. There's no indication that Saturday's day off is anything other than a routine one. Tomas Nido will get the start behind the plate.

Barnhart is out of the starting nine versus San Diego on Saturday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Barnhart will get a standard day off following a pair of starts behind the plate. Curt Casali will handle the catching duties and bat sixth.

Realmuto is out of the lineup versus the Pirates on Saturday, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports.

Realmuto will receive a breather following nine straight starts, during which he's hitting .343 with four home runs and eight RBI. In his place, Bryan Holaday will handle the catching duties and bat seventh.

Mesoraco will miss at least one more week after receiving an epidural injection for his neck discomfort Friday, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

Mesoraco has been battling the neck issue since late August. Previous reports suggested that the epidural could lead to him being shut down for the season, though now it appears that he still has a chance to return. The Mets have little reason to risk injury in a lost season, however, and with two other catchers on their expanded roster, they could well choose to shut him down.

Plawecki (ribs) is starting Friday against the Phillies.

Plawecki exited Wednesday's game against the Dodgers after getting hit in the ribs by a pitch. His post-game CT scan was negative and he's good to go without missing a single start.

Hedges is out of the lineup for the second straight game Friday against the Reds.

Fellow catcher Francisco Mejia made his first Padres' start Thursday and rewarded his new team with a two-homer performance. Unsurprisingly, that was enough to earn him his second start right away. Hedges is expected to split time with Mejia for the rest of September, but whether it's an even distribution or not remains to be seen.

Ruiz went 3-for-5 with a stolen base and an RBI in Double-A Tulsa's 6-0 win Thursday over Northwest Arkansas in Game 2 of their Texas League semifinals series.

It's the fourth consecutive three-hit performance for Ruiz, who has elevated his Texas League slash line to .268/.328/.401 with the hot finish to the campaign. While Ruiz's .729 OPS doesn't jump off the page, the fact that he has been roughly a league-average hitter at just 20 years old while receiving high marks for his work behind the dish has him poised to open 2019 as one of baseball's top catching prospects.

Mejia went 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in Thursday's 6-2 win over the Reds.

Mejia connected on a solo shot in the third inning and added a three-run homer in the fourth frame. He was the prized acquisition in the trade that sent Brad Hand to Cleveland, and his performance Thursday night showed a glimpse as to why he is considered one of the top prospects in baseball. His usage by the Padres down the stretch is worth watching, as he could become a valuable addition to fantasy squads looking for help at the thin catcher position.

Hedges is out of the lineup against the Reds on Thursday.

Hedges will give way to Francisco Mejia, who is making his first start with the Padres during Thursday's series opener. With Mejia in the fold, Hedges may wind up splitting time behind the plate for the rest of the 2018 campaign as the organization takes a long look at the former's potential.

Mesoraco may require an epidural injection due to neck discomfort, which could sidelined him for the rest of the season, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Mesoraco exited Monday's contest against the Dodgers due to neck and back stiffness and would've been placed on the disabled list if not for the expansion of rosters this month, rendering that transaction useless. Since Aug. 23, he's been nursing a bulging disc issue in his neck, which forced him to miss about a week of action. The catcher will meet with doctors Thursday to determine whether he will require the injection. Either way, don't expect to see him play again for an extended period of time until he is no longer dealing with any discomfort.