MLB Player News

Vazquez is out of the lineup Monday against the Rangers, Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports.

Though Vazquez is still the top option on the Red Sox's catching depth chart, it appears his grip on the gig is loosening. While he remains a strong defensive catcher, Vazquez's anemic .583 OPS has made him close to an automatic out this season. Meanwhile, backup Sandy Leon continues to thrive in a smaller sample, as Sunday's 2-for-4 showing boosted his line to .457/.525/.686 over 40 plate appearances. Leon will earn a second straight start for his efforts, and could displace Vazquez as the starter if his hot hitting continues.

Rupp (elbow) went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and three RBI in Sunday's win over the Royals.

He clubbed a three-run homer in the first inning off Vordano Ventura, dispelling any concerns about his sore elbow, then came around to score in the eighth on a Freddy Galvis single. Rupp now has an nine-game hitting streak going, and his eight homers leave him one shy of last year's career high.

Rupp went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Sunday's 7-2 win over the Royals.

The homer was Rupp's eighth of the season, leaving him just one short of matching his total from last year. His .831 OPS ranks third among major league catchers with at least 150 plate appearances this season. There had been some talk of playing Carlos Ruiz more, but Rupp's bat is going to keep him in the lineup most days.

Perez (thumb) will start his rehab assignment at the Arizona Rookie League on Sunday.

Perez's fractured thumb has kept him on the shelf for two months, but he'll finally get back into game action Sunday at rookie ball. He'll likely need several games to get re-acclimated to catching a full nine innings, so the Indians may not need to make a decision on him until after the All-Star break. Cleveland's current catching combination of Yan Gomes and Chris Gimenez could be a roadblock to Perez's return to the big league club as well unless they opt to carry three catchers.

Stewart, who is out of the lineup Sunday, may be a candidate for the DL due to a lower leg injury, Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Stewart is dealing with both knee and ankle ailments, which have effectively cost him two straight starts. If he does end up on the DL, look for Erik Kratz to become the primary backstop, while Jacob Stallings could once again get the call from Triple-A.

Perez is out of the lineup Sunday against the Phillies, Joel Goldberg of FOX Sports Kansas City reports.

Perez's day off might be for mental reasons just as much as physical, as the backstop has gone just 1-for-17 with seven strikeouts while starting each of the last four games behind the plate. With some extra time to recuperate and assess his approach at the plate, perhaps Perez will be able to close out the first half of the season on a high note.

Vazquez is out of the lineup Sunday against the Angels, Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reports.

It's a routine off day for Vazquez, who started the Red Sox's previous four games. He recorded four base hits during those contests, but is still sitting on a sickly .226/.278/.305 slash line for the season. Sandy Leon will fill in for Vazquez at catcher.

Perez is out of the lineup Sunday against the Red Sox.

Perez had his top performance of a disappointing season in Saturday's 21-2 romp over the Red Sox, going 5-for-6 with a homer, two doubles, two runs and a whopping six RBI. While that kind of showing could help Perez cut into Jett Bandy's playing time behind the plate, Perez will pick up some rest Sunday after starting the preceding two games of the series.

Barnhart is out of the lineup Sunday against the Nationals.

Barnhart collected the game-winning hit Saturday, so he'll be rewarded with a day off Sunday afternoon. Furthermore, Saturday marked his fourth start in a row, so the backstop was likely due for a regular day of rest. Ramon Cabrera will take over behind the plate for the afternoon matchup.

D'Arnaud is not in the starting lineup Sunday against the Cubs, MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reports.

D'Arnaud has been behind the plate for three straight contests, but will give way to Rene Rivera on Sunday afternoon. The 27-year-old backstop's bat is just starting to heat up when the Mets need it most, as d'Arnaud is 5-for-9 at the plate over his last three games.