MLB Player News

McCann has a wrap on his left hand after being hit by a pitch Saturday and leaving the game, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

The timing of this is unfortunate for McCann and the Tigers with Opening Day set for Monday. McCann was hit on his left hand in his first at-bat Saturday and was pulled from the game and replaced by a pinch runner. Woodbery adds that manager Brad Ausmus will provide a further update on McCann's status after Saturday's game. If McCann is unavailable Monday, Alex Avila would draw in behind the plate.

Gosewisch was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on Friday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

The 33-year-old was unlikely to beat out Mike Zunino or Carlos Ruiz for a roster spot from the get-go, but his .473 OPS during Cactus League play ultimately sealed his fate. Gosewisch will likely spend 2017 as an organizational depth piece.

Higashioka was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday.

Higashioka clubbed a pair of home runs with five extra-base hits in 27 spring at-bats and might earn some emergency at-bats should a need open up with the Yankees.

Rodriguez was assigned to Minnesota's minor-league camp.

Rodriguez hasn't appeared in the majors since 2012 as he's had an OPS less than .600 each of the last three years. He'll likely spend the season at Triple-A Rochester.

Higashioka was optioned to the Yankees' minor-league camp Wednesday, Brendan Kuty of the Newark Star-Ledger reports.

Higashioka was third on the depth chart at catcher during spring training, but the Yankees always planned on proceeding with only two backstops heading into Opening Day. That will allow Higashioka to see regular at-bats with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he slugged 10 homers in just 160 plate appearances in 2016 upon being promoted from Double-A Trenton midseason.

Maile was optioned to minor-league camp Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Maile, Curt Casali and Mike McKenry were all sent packing from big-league spring training, leaving Jesus Sucre as the No. 2 option behind Derek Norris to begin the 2017 campaign. The 26-year-old Maile fared well during Grapefruit League play (13-for-35) and he could get the call if there is an injury behind the plate while the Rays are still without Wilson Ramos (knee).

Casali was optioned to minor-league camp Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

With both Casali and Luke Maile optioned and Mike McKenry reassigned Wednesday, non-roster invitee Jesus Sucre is now locked in as the backup to Derek Norris to begin the season. Casali went 6-for-31 (.186 average) during spring training after batting .186/.273/.336 over 256 plate appearances last season.

Manager Joe Girardi said Tuesday that he is "learning toward" batting Sanchez second in the order, the Associated Press reports.

Most of Girardi's spring lineups have had Sanchez in the three-hole behind Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury, but the skipper offered a new look Tuesday. Wanting to break up Gardner and Ellsbury (both lefties), Girardi slotted Sanchez into the No. 2 spot followed by Greg Bird, Matt Holliday and Ellsbury, and he suggested he will stick with that order on Opening Day. Sanchez went 15-for-44 with four homers and 13 RBI in his first 16 spring games.

Leon went 2-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI in Monday's game against the Orioles.

Leon, a switch-hitter, homered from both sides of the plate during Boston's nine-run fourth inning. These were his first extra-base hits of the spring. The 28-year-old catcher was cool at the plate to start the spring, but has heated up with more plate appearances, hitting in five of his last six games (7-for-19). Leon will open the season as Boston's starting catcher, but backup Christian Vazquez should grab at least two games a week.

Vazquez hit a three-run homer and made several key defensive plays in Sunday's game against the Twins.

In addition to his seventh-inning homer, Vazquez picked off a runner at second base, caught a runner attempting to steal third and applied a nice tag on a play at the plate. This is the kind of virtuoso defensive performance the Red Sox have been dreaming of since they elevated the catcher to the majors in 2015. His ability to control the running game may eventually make him the lead catcher. Sandy Leon is the starter heading into the season, but make no mistake: Vazquez will catch two out of every five games at a minimum.