MLB Player News

Mejia (thumb) was activated from the injured list Wednesday.

Mejia missed a month with a bruised left thumb. While he was out, the Padres acquired both Austin Nola and Jason Castro, so he could be buried down the depth chart for the stretch run. The fact that he was hitting .079/.146/.184 in 16 games prior to the injury certainly doesn't help his case for playing time, though he'll remain at least a bench option for now. Abraham Almonte was optioned in a corresponding move.

Gallagher is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Tigers.

Since Salvador Perez (eye) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Friday, Gallagher has predictably moved back into a reserve role. He'll be on the bench for the fifth straight game Wednesday.

Nola will sit Wednesday against the Dodgers.

Nola has handled a heavy workload since joining the Padres in a trade from the Mariners at the deadline, as Wednesday's day off will be just his third since the move. Jason Castro starts behind the plate in his absence.

Smith has hit fourth or fifth in the order in each of his last three games, and manager Dave Roberts stated that he prefers the backstop in that area of the lineup, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Smith began the season hitting in the lower part of the order but has worked his way up due to an improved approach at the plate this season. "As far as Will in the middle of the order, I think his at-bat quality has been consistent, the on-base, using the whole field," Roberts said. "As we look out, to finish the season and into the postseason, I just want to count on the certainty of a quality at-bat." Smith was slated to bat fifth Tuesday -- as he had in his previous two starts -- but was moved up to the cleanup spot after Max Muncy was removed from the lineup in order to get a day of rest. Smith has been among the Dodgers' most effective hitters this season, slashing .300/.424/.600 with six home runs and 15 RBI. He has already matched his walk total (18) from last season -- in nearly 100 fewer at-bats -- while reducing his strikeout rate from 26.5 percent to 13.1 percent.

Heim is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies.

Heim had started in four of the Athletics' past six games, but he'll give way to Sean Murphy behind the dish in the series finale. Despite his recent surge in playing time, Heim still looks like the No. 2 backstop behind Murphy, who has began to heat up of late with a .391 average, four home runs and a 6:6 BB:K in September.

Casali will start at catcher and will bat ninth Wednesday against the Pirates.

He'll be behind the dish for the second time in the series while top backstop Tucker Barnhart rests. Barnhart's greater familiarity with the Cincinnati pitching staff and his ability to control the run game may be enough to maintain his spot atop the depth chart, but if the 24-26 Reds fade from the playoff race during the final week of the season, manager David Bell could hand more starts to Casali or Tyler Stephenson.

Barnhart is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Pirates.

Curt Casali will check in behind the dish while Barnhart sits for the second time in the series. The Reds value Barnhart mostly for his defensive work, but he's been an easy out at the plate this season, slashing .207/.301/.390 over 93 plate appearances. His sluggish bat could prompt the Reds to sit him more frequently over the final week and a half of the regular season in favor of Casali, or even prospect Tyler Stephenson.

Sanchez went 1-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and four RBI in Tuesday's 20-6 rout of the Blue Jays.

His fourth-inning shot off Anthony Kay was one of six Yankee homers on the night. Sanchez has three hits in the last four games, which counts as a hot streak for him this season -- he's slashing a woeful .131/.248/.344 through 39 contests with eight home runs, 19 RBI and a 15:55 BB:K.

McCann went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, two RBI and two runs scored Tuesday against the Twins.

McCann drove in his first run of the contest with an RBI double in the third inning. Four frames later he popped a solo home run, his sixth long ball of the season. He has a strong .329/.389/.595 line to this point in the campaign, but has only 90 plate appearances with Yasmani Grandal getting the majority of the playing time behind the dish.

Diaz went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Athletics.

Diaz gave the Rockies a lead they wouldn't lose with his blast off Athletics starter Sean Manaea in the fifth inning. That homer was Diaz's first of the year, and the RBI were his first as well. He also has two runs scored and a .250/.341/.361 slash line across 41 plate appearances.