MLB Player News

Bell is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Pirates.

With Thursday's game beginning at 12:35 p.m. ET, Bell will get some rest after he had started at designated hitter or at first base in each of Washington's last seven contests while going 3-for-27 with a home run and three walks over that stretch. Bell's absence from the lineup will allow the Nationals to give James Wood a day out of the outfield and deploy him as their DH.

Adams will start at catcher and bat eighth in Thursday's game against the Pirates.

Though he's been on the Washington roster all season, Adams will enter the lineup for just the second time while top backstop Keibert Ruiz rests after starting behind the dish in 17 of the first 18 games. The Nationals will likely lighten Ruiz's workload a bit as the season unfolds, but Adams still probably won't be in line for more than a start or two per week while Ruiz is healthy.

Ruiz is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Pirates.

Ruiz will receive a breather for just the second time all season while the Nationals and Pirates wrap up their series with a day game after a night game. Riley Adams will check in behind the plate, forming a battery with starting pitcher Trevor Williams.

Hill is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Though Arizona is sending a southpaw (Eduardo Rodriguez) to the hill for the series finale, the right-handed-hitting Hill will head to the bench while Dane Myers picks up a start in center field. With the recent return of Jesus Sanchez from the injured list adding another option to a crowded outfield, Hill could end up settling for more of a part-time role after picking up starts in 11 of Miami's first 17 games of the season.

Sanchez is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Sanchez will hit the bench along with fellow left-handed hitters Matt Mervis and Liam Hicks while the Diamondbacks send southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez to the hill for the series finale. After being activated from the injured list Tuesday, Sanchez has picked up starts in center field and designated hitter through his first two games of the season, going 3-for-8 with a walk between those contests.

Mervis is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Diamondbacks.

With southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez taking the hill for Arizona, Mervis will be one of three left-handed-hitting Marlins regulars who will retreat to the bench. Eric Wagaman will pick up a start at first base in place of Mervis, who has gone 9-for-25 with six home runs and 11 RBI over his last eight games.

Hicks is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Hicks will take a seat for the day game after a night game, opening up a start behind the dish for Rob Brantly. While Nick Fortes is on the injured list due to a Grade 1 oblique strain, Hicks should see the bulk of the starts at catcher. The Rule 5 pickup is batting .194 with no home runs, seven RBI and four runs over 43 plate appearances on the season.

Davis is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Nationals.

While Joey Bart (back) was out of the lineup for the previous five games, Davis drew four starts behind the dish and went 3-for-17 with a home run and two RBI during that stretch. Bart has made enough progress with his recovery to resume catching duties in Thursday's series finale, and assuming he steers clear of setbacks, he should see the bulk of the starts moving forward.

Reynolds (triceps) will start in right field and bat second in Thursday's game against the Nationals.

Reynolds will be making his first start in the outfield since March 30, as he had been limited exclusively to designated-hitter duties over the past two and a half weeks while managing right triceps soreness. The 30-year-old was apparently able to resume a throwing program without issue in recent days, and the Pirates are now comfortable enough with his health to have him play defense again. Pittsburgh had been getting by with a committee of Andrew McCutchen, Jack Suwinski and Alexander Canario in right field, but assuming Reynolds is ready to play in the outfield on a regular basis moving forward, McCutchen will likely end up seeing the bulk of the starts at DH.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Thursday that McCarthy still has hand soreness as a result of a hit-by-pitch in Sunday's game versus the Brewers, Jose M. Romero of MLB.com reports.

The injury partly explains why McCarthy is out of the lineup for a third straight game Thursday in Miami, although the 27-year-old has not been used as an everyday player so far this season. Lovullo plans to get McCarthy back into the lineup at some point during the team's weekend series against the Cubs. Alek Thomas will start in center field and bat seventh for the Diamondbacks on Thursday.