RADIO
Gabriel Moreno Expected to DH on Saturday Due to Hamstring Injury
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that catcher Gabriel Moreno (hamstring) left Friday night's win over the division-rival San Diego Padres with a tender left hamstring, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. The skipper expects Moreno to be in the starting lineup on Saturday night at Petco Park as the designated hitter. The D-backs will call up a catcher to have another backup just in case. Outfielder Jesus Sanchez was designated for assignment to open up a spot on the roster. In the Snakes' 11-4 victory on Friday night, Moreno went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI, two runs scored, and a walk before being replaced behind the dish by James McCann. The D-backs can ill-afford to lose their starting catcher with just two games remaining in the regular season, as the Venezuelan backstop is hitting over .300 on the year with 16 home runs. Arizona enters play on Saturday just one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the final wild-card spot in the National League with two games left to play.
Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
Gabriel Moreno Back From Paternity List, Starting on Wednesday
The Arizona Diamondbacks have activated catcher Gabriel Moreno from the paternity list on Wednesday, and he will serve as the designated hitter and bat cleanup against the San Diego Padres and right-hander Casey Mize, who will be making his debut with the Friars. James McCann will do the catching and bat seventh for the Snakes. Moreno will end up missing just one game on Tuesday to catch the birth of his second child this week. The 26-year-old Venezuelan backstop is having a fine season at the plate in 85 games (350 plate appearances), slashing .298/.380/.438 with a career-high .818 OPS, eight home runs, 47 RBI, 46 runs scored, and four stolen bases in his fifth year in the majors (fourth in Arizona). Moreno is coming off a great month of July, too, in which he hit .362 (34-for-94) with two home runs, six doubles, 19 RBI, and 18 runs scored in 25 games played.
Source: Jody Jackson
Source: Jody Jackson
Gabriel Moreno Likely Heading to Paternity List
Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno was a late scratch from the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the division-rival San Diego Padres to attend the birth of his second child, according to Jack Sommers of Sports Illustrated. Veteran James McCann got the start behind the dish to catch right-hander Brandon Pfaadt and was hitting eighth in the batting order against Padres right-hander Michael King. Fantasy managers should expect Moreno to go on the paternity list on Tuesday and miss the remainder of the series against SD. The 26-year-old Venezuelan backstop is having a fine fifth year in the big leagues in 2026, as he came into Monday's tilt with a .298/.380/.438 slash line, a career-best .818 OPS, eight home runs, 47 RBI, 46 runs scored, and four steals in 85 games and 350 plate appearances. Moreno needs just two homers to set a new career high. He's 0-for-10 to begin August, but Moreno hit .362 (34-for-94) with a .927 OPS, two homers, six doubles, 19 RBI, and 18 runs scored in 25 games in July. Moreno should be back in action for the team's weekend series against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers at home.
Source: Sports Illustrated - Jack Sommers
Source: Sports Illustrated - Jack Sommers
Gabriel Moreno a Must-Add Catcher Where Available
Five years into his MLB career, Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno has had difficulty staying healthy for an entire season. However, the 26-year-old has managed to avoid major injury so far in 2026 and looks to be on pace to crack 400 plate appearances in a season for the first time. Moreno has also been highly productive, hitting .310/.393/.451 with seven home runs, 41 RBI, 43 runs scored, and four stolen bases across 326 trips to the plate. With just a 7.7% barrel rate, Moreno is unlikely to provide fantasy managers with plus power. Still, he owns a respectable 42.6% hard-hit rate and has struck out in just 15% of his plate appearances, which allows him to be the rare catcher who is a true batting average asset. Moreno also profiles as a quality run producer due to his spot in the heart of the Diamondbacks lineup. In any league where he remains available, Moreno should be viewed as a priority waiver wire target for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Diamondbacks Select Catcher Ryder Helfrick With 15th Overall Pick
The Arizona Diamondbacks are selecting catcher Ryder Helfrick with the 15th overall pick in the MLB Draft out of Arkansas. Entering the draft, MLB Pipeline viewed Helfrick as the No. 11 overall prospect in the class. The 21-year-old backstop has spent all three of his college seasons at Arkansas. After a quiet debut season in which he appeared in just 31 games, Helfrick became a key part of their starting nine over the past two seasons, playing in at least 60 games in each season. He turned in his best showing in 2025, when he carried a 1.036 OPS with a .305/.420/.616 line. However, in 2026, Helfrick tapped into his raw power, launching a season-high 18 round-trippers for the Razorbacks. While his bat, especially from a power perspective, is worth close monitoring, Helfrick is more known for his elite defense and was given an elite 65-grade arm and 60-grade fielding ahead of the draft. While his batting average may be a weakness, his high-end power and elite defense should provide him with a clear path to the majors.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Gabriel Moreno is a Must-Add Catcher Across All League Formats
Across 192 plate appearances in 2026, Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno is hitting .277/.359/.458 with six home runs, 24 RBI, 24 runs scored, and four stolen bases. The oft-injured backstop's 2026 season got off to a rough start when he suffered an oblique strain in early April, but he only missed about three weeks with the injury and has performed well since returning. Moreno's 9.6% barrel rate and 44.4% hard-hit rate are both career bests, and he's done it while maintaining strong walk (10.4%) and strikeout (17.7%) rates. The 26-year-old has also hit either third or fourth in the Diamondbacks order in all but one of his starts in June and is hitting .361 with three home runs over his last 36 plate appearances. When healthy, Moreno profiles as a top-12 fantasy catcher and should be a priority waiver wire target in any league where he remains available.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Gabriel Moreno a Priority Waiver-Wire Add Amidst Current Hot Streak
Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno has once again dealt with injuries this season, landing on the 10-day injured list in mid-April due to an oblique strain. However, the 26-year-old has been productive when healthy, hitting .266/.345/.434 with five home runs, 22 RBI, 22 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 165 plate appearances. Moreno's 11.2% barrel rate and 46.6% hard-hit rate are both career-bests, and he's maintained above-average contact ability with an 18.2% strikeout rate. The ability to stay healthy will likely always be a concern for Moreno, who has yet to log more than 380 plate appearances in any of his MLB seasons. Still, he's undoubtedly a viable starter in two-catcher fantasy formats. In leagues where he remains on the waiver wire, Moreno should be a priority target for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Gabriel Moreno Emerging As Viable Starting Option at Catcher Position
Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno has dealt with injuries again in 2026, but he remains a high-upside option at a thin position when healthy. The 26-year-old is hitting .260 with three home runs, 19 RBI, and three stolen bases in 123 at-bats. After returning from a stint on the injured list in early May, Moreno has gone on to hold a .253/.326/.398 line with three doubles, three home runs, and three stolen bases. When he's been on the field, Moreno has shown the ability to hit for average and get on base at a solid clip. While he has typically been placed at the bottom of the batting order, the backstop has recently begun to move up to the cleanup spot against right-handed pitching, which has bolstered his scoring opportunities. He's still widely available in most leagues, sitting at just 40% rostered on Yahoo. For managers looking for catcher help with some long-term appeal, Moreno is worth picking up.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
