MLB Player News

Contreras went 2-for-4 with two solo home runs Thursday against the Orioles.

Contreras accounted for the majority of Chicago's offense, going yard in the sixth and eighth innings. He now has 19 home runs for the season, five of which have come since Aug. 4. In that 12-game span, Contreras has also chipped in 10 RBI and nine runs scored. For the campaign, he has maintained a .249/.358/.472 line across 433 plate appearances.

The Mets hope Nido (illness) will be able to return from the COVID-19 injured list sometime this weekend in Philadelphia, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Nido has been on the COVID-19 IL since Monday, but it seems likely that he'll be back in action after missing less than a week. The team hasn't announced a date for the backstop's return, but he should be back in action in the coming days.

Manager Craig Counsell said Narvaez (quadriceps) is expected to return from the 10-day injured list Saturday against the Cubs, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Narvaez began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday and has gone 3-for-8 with a double, two RBI, a run and a strikeout over two games. He'll likely remain with the minor-league club for another day or two but should be back in the Brewers' lineup this weekend.

Diaz (wrist) took swings Thursday and has resumed playing catch pain-free, the Associated Press reports.

Diaz sounds like he could soon be ready to head out on what should be a brief minor-league rehab assignment. The Rockies' top catcher has been out since Aug. 12 with a left wrist sprain, which has allowed Brian Serven to temporarily take over as the team's No. 1 backstop.

Jansen isn't in the lineup Thursday against the Yankees.

Jansen has alternated starts behind the dish recently and went 1-for-3 with a run, a walk and a strikeout Wednesday against Baltimore . Alejandro Kirk will start at catcher while George Springer serves as the designated hitter Thursday.

Mejia isn't starting Thursday against the Royals, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Mejia is in the midst of a six-game hit streak in which he's slashed .391/.440/.565 with four doubles, four RBI and three runs. However, he'll get a breather Thursday while Christian Bethancourt starts behind the plate and bats seventh.

Delay is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Red Sox.

Delay started behind the plate in four of the Pirates' last five games, but he could see his opportunities take a hit now that Tyler Heineman -- who will start at catcher Thursday -- is back from a brief stint on the injured list. Before missing time with a right groin strain, the switch-hitting Heineman had occupied the larger side of a platoon with the righty-hitting Delay, who has done his best work against southpaws (111 wRC+ in 42 plate appearances).

McGuire will start at catcher and bat seventh in Thursday's game against the Pirates.

McGuire is drawing his third consecutive start and appears to have leapfrogged Kevin Plawecki on the depth chart at catcher. Regarded as a solid defender and pitch framer, McGuire has added to his value by producing an .847 OPS in his first eight games with Boston since coming over in a deadline deal with the White Sox. Once his bat predictably cools down, McGuire could fall back into more of a timeshare with Plawecki.

Plawecki is out of the lineup for Thursday's game in Pittsburgh.

Plawecki will sit for the third game in a row, and for the time being, he looks to be Boston's clear No. 2 catcher behind Reese McGuire. The deadline deal that sent Christian Vazquez to Houston was expected to open up more opportunities for Plawecki, but McGuire -- who was acquired from the White Sox on Aug. 2 -- has performed better than expected with the bat and has at least temporarily earned the No. 1 role.

Contreras is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Mets.

Contreras extended his hitting streak to nine games in Atlanta's 9-7 loss Wednesday, when he singled three times and scored two runs. He's holding down a robust .808 OPS in August, but because he frequently catches in addition to logging starts at designated hitter, he'll still be subject to more days off than the rest of Atlanta's regulars. Travis d'Arnaud is behind the plate for the series finale, while Eddie Rosario gets a turn at DH.