MLB Player News

With a right-hander slated to toe the rubber for the Royals on Thursday, Indians manager Terry Francona has produced a heavy lefty-hitting lineup.

David Murphy returns to the starting lineup as the designated hitter, while Nick Swisher gets a rest after playing in two straight since returning from a DL stint.

Michael Bourn, who will be benched against lefties for the near future, was back in the lineup batting seventh and playing center field. 

Switch-hitter Jose Ramirez slides in at shorstop to replace Mike Aviles. The Indians' lineup contains just one natural right-handed hitter, catcher Roberto Perez.

Angels catcher Carlos Perez made such an impression on his ballclub, and the sport, with his walk-off heroics on Tuesday, that there was very little doubt whether or not the rookie would be back in the lineup on Wednesday.

Well, he was. And despite going 0 for 3, questions are starting to arrise in regards to how manager Mike Scioscia will divide the playing time between Perez and incumbent starter Chris Iannetta, according to The Orange County Register.

“We're going to need them both, so whatever it turns out to be, it turns out to be. ... Obviously when a guy plays well, you can earn more playing time,” Scioscia said.

Perez, who is just 24 years of age, was hitting well in Triple-A before his call-up, owning a very impressive .361/.418/.556 batting line in 17 games. Perez also threw out his first baserunner on Wednesday night, after recording seven in Triple-A this year.

Meanwhile, Iannetta has been struggling at the Major League level, hitting just .094 with one extra base hit entering play on Thursday. The Angels will likely give Perez several good looks behind the plate in the coming weeks.

Catcher Yasmani Grandal was back in the Dodgers' starting lineup, batting second for Thursday's matinee against the Brewers. Grandal was rested on Wednesday after starting five of the team's previous six games. Grandal has been hitting the ball well lately, going 10 for his last 35 with a home run and four doubles. 

He has been sharing the catching duties with A.J. Ellis, who was out of the lineup on Thursday.

Brewers catcher Martin Maldonado received a day off Thursday against the Dodgers for the first time in 10 games. Juan Centeno started in his absence.

Maldonado, who has started in the absence of Jonathan Lucroy, hasn't started just twice in 16 games. He is batting .196 (9 for 46) with one home run, four RBI, three walks, six runs and 13 strikeouts in 15 games since becoming the full-time starter.

Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia is expected to sign with the Diamondbacks once he clears waivers, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman. Saltalamacchia was designated for assignment by the Marlins on April 27 and was placed on release waivers Tuesday.

Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale confirmed Saltalamacchia will start out in the minors, per MLB Network Radio.

"He's going to play in Reno (Triple-A), get his game right and we'll figure out how we're going to work this thing," Hale said.

Tuffy Gosewisch has been the Diamondbacks' primary catcher in 2015, starting 19 of 26 games behind the plate. However, he hasn't provided much offensive support, batting just .208 with no extra-base hits and five RBI in 20 games.

The Mariners, Orioles and Royals were also teams reportedly interested in signing Saltalamacchia, who lost his starting job with the Marlins to rookie J.T. Realmuto.

Saltalamacchia has a .240/.310/.415/.725 slash line over nine MLB seasons. He hit a career-best 25 home runs in 2012 with the Red Sox.

Diamondbacks catcher Tuffy Gosewisch went 3 for 4 with one RBI, one run scored and one stolen base in his team's 5-1 win over the Rockies in Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader.

Gosewisch didn't see action in the early game Wednesday and entered the second game of the doubleheader with just one hit in 14 at-bats over his last five games. The three hits marked a season high and represented just his second multihit performance of the season. Gosewisch has hit .208/.250/.208 in 72 at-bats.

Tigers center fielder Anthony Gose and catcher Alex Avila were not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the White Sox. 

Gose had started three straight games for manager Brad Ausmus, and had a nice game on Tuesday. He will get a breather while Rajai Davis leads off and plays center field.

As expected, Avila will sit with lefty Chris Sale on the mound for the White Sox. Avila has just one hit in 11 at-bats against lefties this season. He was replaced in the lineup by James McCann

Indians catcher Yan Gomes was out on the field Wednesday, performing running drills to test his injured knee, according to Cleveland.com.

Gomes, who is currently on the 15-day DL with a sprained MCL, has made throws to second on Tuesday. Gomes is hitting .150 with two runs scored in 20 at-bats this season.

Indians catcher Brett Hayes is back in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Royals, the team announced. 

Hayes got the day off Tuesday and has been alternating with Roberto Perez behind the plate since Yan Gomes went down with an injury. Hayes is hitting .111 with four RBI in 18 at-bats this season.

Reds catcher Brayan Pena was given the day off and held out of the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Pirates. Pena had started each of the last four games for Cincinnati, and has been hitting fairly well recently. Over his last eight games, the veteran catcher is hitting .269 (7 for 26) with three doubles.

Tucker Barnhart made his fifth start of the year behind the dish, batting eighth for manager Bryan Price.