MLB Player News
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Tyler Stephenson C | CIN
Reds' Tyler Stephenson: Receiving Sunday off
Stephenson is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against San Diego.
Stephenson started the previous nine games but will hit the bench Sunday while in the midst of an 0-for-12 slump. Jose Trevino will work behind the plate and bat seventh in the series finale versus the Padres.
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Drake Baldwin C | ATL
Braves' Drake Baldwin: Remaining on bench Sunday
Baldwin is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.
The left-handed-hitting Baldwin has a .973 OPS with two home runs and an 8:4 BB:K across his past eight contests, but he finds himself on the bench Sunday for Atlanta's second consecutive game while the Phillies send another lefty (Ranger Suarez) to the hill. Sean Murphy will start behind the plate and bat sixth in the series finale versus Philadelphia.
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Austin Wells C | NYY
Yankees' Austin Wells: Resting up Sunday
Wells is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics.
Wells will retreat to the bench during Sunday's day game, enabling Ben Rice to pick up a start behind the plate. The 25-year-old backstop has cooled down considerably at the dish of late, going just 5-for-33 (.152 average) with a 27.8 percent strikeout rate over his last 10 games.
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Austin Wynns C | ATH
Athletics' Austin Wynns: Not starting Sunday
Wynns is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees.
The Athletics released a lineup earlier Sunday that featured Wynns at catcher, but Willie MacIver will instead get the nod behind the plate for the series finale. The team hasn't indicated that Wynns' removal from the lineup was the result of any injury or illness, so the veteran backstop is presumably just getting a breather. The duo have alternated starts at catcher over the last eight games, but with Shea Langeliers (oblique) likely to return from the injured list during the upcoming week, Wynns could lose his spot on the roster.
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Adley Rutschman C | BAL
Orioles' Adley Rutschman: Return date still TBD
Rutschman (oblique) said Sunday that he's improving, but he admitted that he's uncertain if he'll be activated from the 10-day injured list for the Orioles' first game following the All-Star break, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Interim manager Tony Mansolino previously ruled Rutschman out for the remainder of the first half but expressed optimism that the catcher would be ready to go after the break. Since being placed on the IL on June 21, the backstop has been able to do some throwing, but he has yet to resume swinging a bat, according to Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun. Until Rutschman proves that he can hit against high-velocity pitching without any discomfort, a firm target date for his return will be elusive.
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Alejandro Kirk C | TOR
Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk: Resting up Sunday
Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox.
Kirk will get a breather for Sunday's matinee after he started behind the dish in the first two games of the series in Boston. Tyler Heineman will step in for Kirk at catcher.
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Bo Naylor C | CLE
Guardians' Bo Naylor: On bench Sunday
Naylor is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.
Naylor will remain on the bench for a second day in a row, this time sitting out against lefty Matthew Liberatore after the Cardinals sent right-hander Miles Mikolas to the bump Saturday. Naylor should still see the bulk of the starts versus righties, but his playing time could be starting to slip after going just 1-for-31 with 13 strikeouts and one walk over his previous 12 games.
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James McCann C | ARI
Diamondbacks' James McCann: Two hits in Saturday's loss
McCann went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's 8-7 loss to Miami.
McCann made his second start behind the plate since the Diamondbacks signed him Monday. The veteran backstop was drilled by a pitch on the hand Saturday but was able to stay in the game. He's expected to split work behind the dish with Jose Herrera until Gabriel Moreno (finger) returns from the injured list.
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Matt Thaiss C | TB
Rays' Matt Thaiss: Drives in two
Thaiss went 1-for-4 with a triple and two RBI on Saturday against the Orioles.
Thaiss remains the backup to Danny Jansen behind the plate for the Rays, though Saturday marked Thaiss' fourth start in the last eight games. He delivered a two-RBI triple in the seventh inning to record his third multi-RBI performance of the campaign and second in his last four starts.
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Joey Bart C | PIT
Pirates' Joey Bart: On base three times
Bart went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored Saturday against the Mets.
Bart played a key role in Pittsburgh's three-run second inning by tallying an RBI single and coming around to score. He's started seven of 11 games since returning from the injured list June 17, going 7-for-27 with three RBI and four runs scored.