MLB Player News

Vazquez isn't starting Thursday's game against the Tigers.

Vaquez had started each of the last two games and went 4-for-9 with a double, two RBI, a run, a walk and three strikeouts during that time. Kevin Plawecki will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Contreras isn't starting Thursday's game against the Nationals.

Contreras had started each of the last three games and went 4-for-10 with a home run, three RBI, two walks and three runs during that time. Jeff Mathis will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Garver isn't starting Thursday's game against the Rangers.

Garver had gone 3-for-7 with a solo home run, a walk and a strikeout in the last two games. Ben Rortvedt will start behind the dish and bat ninth.

Realmuto will not start Thursday against the Brewers.

Realmuto has handled his usual heavy workload behind the plate this season. His 24 starts at catcher rank third among all backstops, and that's even with a brief absence last week due to a sore hand. Andrew Knapp will get the nod Thursday.

Maldonado (shoulder) will catch and bat ninth Thursday against the Yankees, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Maldonado missed Wednesday's game after leaving Tuesday's contest with a bruised trapezius following a collision at home plate. He's back in action after a brief absence and will look to improve on his awful .091/.167/.136 season slash line, though he may have a tough time doing so with Gerrit Cole on the mound for the Yankees.

Vazquez moved from catcher to second base after Christian Arroyo left Wednesday's game with a hand injury.

Arroyo was hit by a pitch on his left hand but stayed in the game to run before being removed as a fielder. Vazquez has played second base before during his career, but his deployment Wednesday should be viewed as a stopgap measure. He's not expected to fill in at the position should Arroyo need multiple days off. The Red Sox can easily have Enrique Hernandez or Marwin Gonzalez, both of whom were already in Wednesday's game, play the keystone.

Nido went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Cardinals.

Nido didn't see action during the first game of the twin bill but made his presence felt in Game 2, as he was one of three players with two hits and two RBI while also going deep for the first time in 2021. The 27-year-old backstop only has 16 at-bats this season, however, and the lack of playing time certainly conspires against his fantasy upside.

Gomes went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 5-3 loss to Atlanta.

His fourth-inning blast was the only offense the Nats could muster off Max Fried. Gomes is locked in right now, going 7-for-15 over the last four games with a double and two of his three homers on the year as he looks to prove last year's .284/.319/.468 slash line was no fluke.

Contreras went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's 5-3 win over the Nationals.

The 23-year-old took Erick Fedde deep in the fourth inning for his first career MLB homer. Contreras has gone 4-for-10 while starting three straight games, and he figures to continue seeing a heavy workload while Travis d'Arnaud (thumb) is on the shelf.

Garver went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk Wednesday against the Rangers.

Garver provided the Twins with their lone run of the game when he smacked his sixth home run of the season in the second inning. He's started to heat up at the dish, as he's now managed four home runs in his last five starts while also tallying three multi-hit games in that span. With Ryan Jeffers currently at Triple-A Rochester, Garver should have a clear path to regular at-bats for the Twins behind the dish. To this point, he's managed a .208/.250/.500 line with 13 RBI and eight runs scored across 76 plate appearances.