MLB Player News

Maldonado went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's loss to the Red Sox.

Friday night's performance contributed to what has been Maldonado's best season at the plate, as the 30-year-old backstop is slashing .247/.310/.418 with 11 home runs and 29 RBI this year. It isn't an overly flashy stat line, although his sneaky power and consistent playing time make him worth a look in two-catcher leagues given the dearth of other options behind the plate.

Vazquez is not in the lineup Friday against the Angels, Tim Britton of The Providence Journal reports.

Vazquez has just 11 hits in the past 30 games with only one of them going for extra bases. He'll hit the bench for a night off Friday, allowing Sandy Leon to enter the lineup in his place.

Contreras went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer Friday against the Cardinals.

Contreras blasted his 14th homer of the year to give the Cubs a first-inning lead in a game they'd go on to lose. He's smashed five bombs over 14 July contests, and his .272 batting average to go along with a .489 slugging percentage makes him an outstanding fantasy option at the catcher position.

Gomes is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Blue Jays.

Roberto Perez will start behind the plate for the third time in the last five games, signaling the Indians may be moving away from Gomes as an everyday lineup piece. The veteran backstop is hitting just .216 this month, but his defensive abilities make him a strong candidate for starts, as he leads the league with 20 runners caught stealing this year.

Mesoraco will take a seat for Friday's game against the Marlins.

Mesoraco was just reinstated from the DL (back) on Wednesday, and made his first start since early July during Thursday's game with the Diamondbacks. He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, but more importantly, felt fine following the contest. The catcher will get the day off after returning to the lineup, while Tucker Barnhart draws the start in his stead.

Anderson has been converted to pitching by the Marlins, making his debut on the mound Thursday for the team's affiliate in the Gulf Coast League and allowing one hit and one walk in a scoreless inning.

Selected with the 36th overall pick as a catcher in the 2014 draft, Anderson failed to develop as a hitter, posting a .173/.274/.245 slash line in the low minors before injuring his shoulder in 2016. The 21-year-old will get another chance to provide some return on the organization's investment in him as a reliever, but the GCL is a long way from the majors.

Grandal went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a double during Thursday's loss to Atlanta.

The backstop continues to post solid numbers and is now up to a .266/.318/.482 slash line with 13 homers, 39 RBI and 31 runs. Hitting in the stacked Dodgers lineup helps Grandal's fantasy floor, and he projects to remain a go-to option.

Hedges (concussion) has rejoined the team but remains on the 7-day concussion disabled list, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

According to Lin, Hedges recently resumed taking swings and his symptoms have subsided to the point where he can rejoin the team. Hedges is eligible to come off the disabled list Tuesday, so the Padres will go with a platoon of Hector Sanchez and Luis Torrens for the next few games.

Smith (hand) was hit by a pitch during his debut with Double-A Tulsa on July 10 and is out at least another four weeks, Kyle Glaser of Baseball America reports.

It wasn't exactly the dream promotion that most prospects imagine when they get moved up. Smith was hit twice in the game, with the second one proving costly as it fractured his hand. Before the promotion, Smith was hitting .232/.355/.448 with 11 home runs and six steals on eight attempts with High-A Rancho Cucamonga.

Herrera (ankle) is out until early August with a sprained ankle, Bill Mitchell of Baseball America reports.

Once the Diamondbacks' top international signee, Herrera has been hurt every season since he joined the organization in 2013. This season, the culprit has been an ankle sprain that has kept him out since June 12. Before the injury, the catching prospect was hitting .216 with 13 doubles for Low-A Kane County.