MLB Player News

Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart and outfielder Billy Hamilton each hit a home run in Thursday night's 5-1 win over the Braves. 

Barnhart hit a solo home run on a 3-2 pitch to start the top of the seventh inning. It was Barnhart's second home run of the season. He's now hitting .231/.286/.692 after going 1 for 4 against Atlanta. 

Hamilton hit his home run in the top of the ninth inning, also giving him his second of the season. Hamilton went 1 for 5 and is now hitting .217//.278/.349. 

Reds backup catcher Brayan Pena is giving way to his backup Thursday night for the second straight game.

Pena, who has been behind the plate with Devin Mesoraco on the mend, is set to sit in Atlanta. Tucker Barnhart is in the lineup instead.

An 0-for-2 performance Tuesday ended a six-game hitting streak for Pena.

Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski was given a day off on Thursday, after catching the previous three games. Pierzynski has been hot at the plate lately, batting .455 (10 for 22) with nine RBI in his last six games.

Christian Bethancourt got the start behind the dish for the Braves, and left fielder Kelly Johnson was inserted into the cleanup spot in the lineup against the Reds on Thursday, the team announced.

Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal was dropped from fifth in the batting order to seventh in the team's new-look lineup for Wednesday's game against the Giants.

Manager Don Mattingly said Wednesday that he spoke with Grandal last weeked about simplifying his approach at the plate in order to help kickstart his offense, MLB.com reports.

"I told him to simplify -- get good pitches, hit the ball hard," Mattingly said. "We'll try to move him a little bit to get to that. If we can simplify, he'll be fine. I feel like he's trying really hard."

Grandal has hit just .196/.317/.294 with one home run and two RBI in 51 at-bats coming into Wednesday's game.

Indians catcher Roberto Perez came a triple short of a cycle Wednesday, going 3 for 3 with a walk, a double, a home run and two RBI in his team's 7-5 win over the Royals.

Perez tied the game with his RBI double in the sixth inning and scored the go-ahead run on a subsequent double by the next batter. He then extended the lead on a solo home run in the eighth. The home run was his third of the season but the double was the first for Perez, who has hit .225/.319/.475 with six RBI in 40 at-bats.

Tigers catcher James McCann is certainly no speed demon, but he did something Wednesday that many burners on the bases have never done. He hit an inside-the-park home run.

"I've never run that far in a baseball game before," McCann said.

McCann blasted one that got away in deep right-center in Minnesota and he circled the bases to drive in two runs and tie a game his team eventually won. It capped a fine game for McCann, who had already doubled in a run. He later singled.

The 24 year old had not been tearing it up at the plate, but the three-hit game gives him five in his last nine at-bats and raises his average to .258.

Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart hit his first home run of the season during Wednesday's 8-3 loss to the Brewers.

Barnhart finished the game 1 for 2 with one walk. Barnhart has been filling in for Devin Mesoraco, who has been dealing with a hip injury. Barnhart has made three starts this season and is 2 for 9.

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco continues to be held out of the starting lineup due to a hip impingement, as he missed a 16th straight start Wednesday vs. Milwaukee. Tucker Barnhart made his third start of the season Wednesday.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear Mesoraco is closer to being back in the starting lineup. General manager Walt Jocketty said Wednesday that Mesoraco is still 7-10 days away from catching, per MLB Network Radio.

"The hip is getting better," Jocketty said. "We hope to have him catching in the next two weeks."

Mesoraco has been able to pinch-hit since the last time he started April 11. He is 0 for 2 with two walks and one strikeout as a pinch-hitter. He has also been hit by a pitch in that span.

The Marlins got RBI from three players in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Mets. 

Giancarlo Stanton singled in a run in the sixth to put the Marlins on top and record his 18th RBI of the season.

J.T. Realmuto singled in Stanton for his third RBI of the year. 

Michael Morse singled in the game-winning run in the eighth for his eighth RBI of the year. 

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco (hip) remains out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Brewers.

Mesoraco hasn't started since April 12 while recovering from a hip impingement, but he's served as a pinch-hitter sporadically over the last week. Bryan Pena draws the start at catcher and bats eighth Tuesday.

The Reds are heavy favorites (-190) against the Brewers Tuesday with Johnny Cueto on the mound.