MLB Player News

Murphy, who went 1-for-2 with a double in a Cactus League loss to the Mariners on Sunday, is hitting .545 (6-for-11) with four doubles, a home run, four RBI, a walk and two runs in his first five exhibition appearances.

The 27-year-old backstop's numbers underscore how blistering hot he's been to start spring, certainly an encouraging sign after Murphy's lackluster .216/.306/.405 slash line in 2021. While he did record a career-high 17 home runs and 59 RBI last season, Murphy's early showing this spring offers some hope he'll be able to get on base more consistently in 2022 while hopefully ceding only occasional playing time to the returning Stephen Vogt.

Wong was optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Sunday, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Wong made six big-league appearances last season and was on the roster for the wild-card game, but he won't be with the team for Opening Day. He appeared in 50 games for Worcester last year and had a .730 OPS with eight home runs, 26 RBI and seven stolen bases.

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

Pinto was in big-league camp after being added to the 40-man roster in November but never had much of a chance at making the Opening Day squad with Mike Zunino and Francisco Mejia healthy. He'll open the season at Triple-A Durham, where he hit .299/.327/.532 with 12 homers and 35 RBI in 52 games last season.

Bemboom (illness) went 0-for-2 in Saturday's 14-5 win over the Pirates.

Bemboom was sidelined for a couple of days due to an illness, but it was never expected to be a long-term issue. The 32-year-old catcher will continue to compete for a spot on the big-league roster, with Robinson Chirinos, Jacob Nottingham and Beau Taylor also in the mix while Adley Rutschman (triceps) works his way back from injury.

Haase went 1-for-2 with a walk and a three-run home run in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

Haase relieved Tucker Barnhart and proceeded to hit his first spring home run. Haase is now batting .300 with a 1.162 OPS in Grapefruit League action, while Barnhart is batting just .077 with a .154 OPS. It's a small sample size and still very early, of course, but Haase may be able to secure more playing time during the regular season if he looks this much better at the plate than Barnhart. As it stands, Barnhart is the de facto No. 1 catcher, though the two players could split time fairly evenly to start the year. Haase may also see some time at DH, particularly if the Tigers keep Dustin Garneau on the roster as a third catcher.

It remains unclear when Moreno will return to game action, though he will get reps at catcher and third base this spring, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Moreno was delayed arriving to camp while awaiting a visa, though he has been working up to game speed across the last couple days. His work behind the plate will remain a priority, though he will also get reps around the infield. Third base is the most likely position for Moreno to add to his repertoire, as he appeared in two games at the position in the Arizona Fall League.

Rortvedt (oblique) is taking swings and will catch in the bullpen Sunday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Rortvedt has been ramping up his activity in recent days, and the plan is for him to play in Grapefruit League games soon. However, it remains a possibility that he will open the season on the injured list, which could mean the Yankees would rely on a combination of Kyle Higashioka, Rob Brantly and David Freitas behind the plate.

Maile (hamstring) is expected to begin the season on the injured list, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Maile suffered the injury while running from first to third base in an early spring training contest. He has yet to retake the field. Austin Hedges and Sandy Leon will likely split time behind the dish in Maile's absence.

Rortvedt (oblique) took dry swings Friday and has been throwing at 120 feet, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

Rortvedt was diagnosed with a Grade 1 oblique strain last weekend, but it's encouraging to see him taking swings once again. The 24-year-old is expected to return to game action at some point before the end of spring training, but it's still possible that he'll require a stint on the injured list to begin the year with a week and a half remaining until Opening Day. Regardless of his status to begin the regular season, Rortvedt has certainly made encouraging progress in his recovery so far.

Rutschman (triceps) has been able to do some receiving work behind the plate but has yet to test his arm with any throwing or hitting, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.

Rutschman still hasn't been ruled out for Opening Day, but he has a lot to do in his recovery from a triceps strain if he's to be ready to make his big-league debut right away. He's 10 days into his two-to-three week shutdown period and remains on that schedule, as he's expected to get back to throwing and hitting in about a week. He'll at least be sharp defensively by Opening Day, as he's been able to continue his work behind the plate, but he won't have the chance to get in many Grapefruit League at-bats.