MLB Player News

Vazquez will sit Saturday against Oakland, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Vazquez doesn't appear to have claimed the starting catcher job just yet after moving to Houston at the deadline, as he's now been on the bench for three of the last four games. Martin Maldonado will make another start behind the plate Saturday.

Plawecki will be on the bench Saturday against the Yankees, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Plawecki has emerged as Boston's primary catcher after the team sent Christian Vazquez to Houston at the trade deadline, though he's not far above Saturday's starter Reese McGuire on the depth chart. He may not even be ahead at all, as both backstops have started five times in the last 10 games.

Hedges isn't starting Saturday against the Blue Jays.

Hedges went 0-for-3 with a run and a walk during Friday's series opener but will get a breather Saturday. Luke Maile is starting behind the dish and batting eighth.

Stallings isn't starting the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against Atlanta, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Stallings is getting a breather after he went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run during Friday's series opener. Nick Fortes will start behind the plate and bat sixth.

Perez went 1-for-4 with a two-RBI home run in an 8-3 loss to the Dodgers on Friday.

After a miserable start to the season which was then exacerbated by injury, Perez has started showing signs of life. The power-hitting catcher has hit six homers since returning from thumb surgery on July 29. Perez is now slugging .540 in August and has 17 homers on the season. He has hit over 20 home runs in every full season of play dating back to 2015 and is on pace to extend the streak again this season if he can avoid re-aggravating his thumb.

Rutschman went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, a sacrifice fly and a walk in Friday's 10-3 win over the Rays.

Rutschman got the scoring started in the first inning with his solo shot, which was his first long ball since July 16. He'd gone seven games without an extra-base hit entering Friday, but he's still been solid by going 10-for-32 (.313) with a 13:4 BB:K through 10 games in August. The catcher is slashing .251/.365/.439 with six homers, 21 RBI, 42 runs scored, two stolen bases, 22 doubles and a triple through 65 contests overall.

Serven went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's 5-3 win over the Diamondbacks.

Elias Diaz (shoulder) went on the injured list Friday, so it appears Serven will get a look as the starting catcher for a while. He made a good impression Friday with his fifth homer of the year, tying the game at 3-3 in the fifth inning. The 27-year-old has gone 6-for-17 (.353) in August, lifting his season slash line to .244/.308/.412 through 130 plate appearances. He's added 13 RBI, 16 runs scored, three doubles and a triple. Serven will likely hit at the bottom of the order even as a regular starter, though a favorable home park could make him an intriguing waiver-wire add during Diaz's absence.

Caratini went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Friday's 3-1 loss to the Cardinals.

Caratini was the only player on either team to record multiple hits. He also produced the Brewers' lone run, plating Luis Urias with a single in the seventh inning. Caratini entered Friday 0-for-10 across his last three games, though his starting role is not yet in doubt since Omar Narvaez (quadriceps) is a week away from beginning a rehab assignment. For the season, Caratini is slashing .233/.351/.413 with eight home runs, 22 RBI, 21 runs scored and seven doubles through 205 plate appearances.

Narvaez (quadriceps) will begin a rehab assignment in about a week, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Narvaez hit the injured list with a strained quadriceps in early August. His given timeline suggests that he'll return sometime in the final third of the month. Victor Caratini has been the team's top catcher in his absence.

Bart (ankle) remains on the bench for Friday's game against the Pirates, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Bart has been dealing with a right ankle sprain and was only available on an emergency basis Wednesday. He'll be available in the same capacity Friday. Austin Wynns remains the starting catcher in his absence.