MLB Player News

O'Hoppe (illness) will start at catcher and bat fifth Thursday against the Rangers.

O'Hoppe missed two games while fighting off an illness, but he seems to be fully healthy entering Thursday's contest. The 25-year-old has been scorching out of the gate with a .327/.340/.653 slash line and five homers through his first 50 plate appearances.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday that Alvarez (hand) could be activated from the 10-day injured list before the team's homestand ends April 23, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Alvarez will catch back-to-back, nine-inning rehab games with Double-A Binghamton on Friday and Saturday and, if that goes well, the club will have "a conversation" about the catcher's status, per Mendoza. A day of rest seems likely after Alvarez catches back-to-back contests, which points to a return Monday versus the Phillies. Alvarez is coming back from surgery on a fractured hamate bone in his left hand.

Wells is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rays.

The Yankees will give Wells a chance to regroup after the 25-year-old managed just one hit -- a solo home run -- in 11 at-bats during New York's previous series against Kansas City. J.C. Escarra will fill in behind the plate Thursday and bat seventh.

Heim isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Angels.

After going just 2-for-14 with a run scored and five strikeouts over his last four games, Heim will give way behind the plate to Kyle Higashioka on Thursday.

Naylor is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest in Baltimore.

Naylor caught each of the first two games of the series but will yield to Austin Hedges for the finale. The 25-year-old Naylor sports just a .516 OPS across his first 45 plate appearances in 2025.

Jansen isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Yankees, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Jansen will grab a seat on the bench in Thursday's series opener after going just 1-for-11 over his last four games. Ben Rortvedt will catch for Taj Bradley as a result and bat eighth.

Bailey isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Phillies, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Bailey will get a breather during Thursday's series finale after going 2-for-12 with two RBI, two runs and seven strikeouts during the first three games against Philadelphia. Sam Huff will fill in as the Giants' catcher and bat eighth.

Thaiss is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics.

Thaiss emerged as the White Sox's No. 1 backstop early on this season, but he'll be on the bench for the second straight day Thursday and now looks poised to move into a backup role with Chicago promoting catching prospect Edgar Quero from Triple-A Charlotte. Even while seeing the bulk of the work behind the plate through Chicago's first 17 games of the season, Thaiss didn't make much of a fantasy impact, batting .241 with few counting statistics (zero home runs, zero steals, three runs, three RBI).

Wynns will start at catcher and bat ninth in Thursday's game against the Mariners.

With Jose Trevino resting for the day game after a night game, Wynns will crack the lineup for the seventh time in 19 games on the season. Wynns is batting .308 with a home run and two walks over 15 plate appearances, but he owns a .271 wOBA and 67 wRC+ across parts of seven seasons in the big leagues and doesn't profile as an appealing fantasy option. He'll likely lose his spot on the roster once Tyler Stephenson (oblique) is cleared to return from the injured list.

Langeliers is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest versus the White Sox.

Langeliers had started each of the previous eight games -- including seven at catcher -- so he'll receive a well-earned day off for Thursday's matinee. Jhonny Pereda is starting at catcher and batting seventh for the Athletics on Thursday.