MLB Player News

Bemboom was scratched from Thursday's Grapefruit Lineup against the Red Sox due to an illness, Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports.

The Orioles didn't initially provide a reason for Bemboom's removal from the lineup, but it's unlikely that his illness will lead to a significant absence. Assuming the illness isn't related to COVID-19, the catcher should be considered day-to-day.

Kirk could have a clearer path to playing time this season than previously expected, as Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that the Blue Jays traded Randal Grichuk to the Rockies for Raimel Tapia and Adrian Pinto on Thursday.

While the Grichuk-for-Tapia part of the deal doesn't reduce the number of MLB-caliber players on the Blue Jays' roster, it's partially a cost-cutting move and not necessarily a straight swap in terms of talent. Grichuk has a better bat than Tapia, with the former's 102 career wRC+ easily besting the latter's career mark of 78. Prior to the trade, Toronto's optimal configuration may have seen Grichuk in the outfield and Teoscar Hernandez at designated hitter, leaving Kirk to fight for playing time behind the plate with Danny Jansen. Now, the best setup may see Hernandez in the outfield, leaving Kirk to serve as the primary DH. Kirk is young and inexperienced but has the talent to fill the role, as he produced a strong 11.0 percent barrel rate and an excellent 11.6 percent strikeout rate in 60 games last season.

Bemboom was removed from Thursday's Grapefruit League lineup against Boston for an unspecified reason, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

It's not clear whether Bemboom's removal from the lineup was due to an injury, but Beau Taylor will now take over behind the dish and bat ninth. Whether Bemboom is available off the bench remains to be seen.

Garver went 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs, three RBI and a third run scored in Wednesday's spring training game against the White Sox.

Garver led the hitting show, backed by Corey Seager and Bubba Thompson homers, that produced 14 runs Wednesday . It was the second time this spring that Texas put up double-digit runs after scoring 25 against the Guardians on Monday. The 31-year-old Garver will be the Rangers' primary catcher in 2022, but he's never played more than 103 games in a major-league season.

Maile was removed from Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Dodgers with left hamstring tightness, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.

Maile pulled up while running from first to third base during the second inning, and he was unable to put pressure on his left leg while leaving the field. It's unclear when the 31-year-old will be able to return to action.

Maile exited Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Dodgers with an apparent leg injury, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.

Maile came up limping while running from first to third base in the second inning on Gabriel Arias' base hit. He wasn't able to put pressure on the injured leg while walking off the field with the assistance of trainers, so Maile could be dealing with more than a day-to-day concern. Expect the Guardians to provide an update on the backstop's condition after sending him in for diagnostic tests.

General manager Mike Elias said Wednesday that Rutschman's (triceps) recovery timeline is "more a matter of weeks than days" but didn't rule him out for Triple-A Norfolk's Opening Day on April 5, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.

Rutschman was diagnosed with a right triceps strain last week and was given an initial 2-to-3 week timetable, so being available for Norfolk's Opening Day would be in line with that estimate. The 24-year-old made his way to Triple-A last season and hit .312/.405/.490 in 43 games, and he figures to be called up for his major-league debut before long in 2022.

Moreno (visa issues) arrived in Dunedin, Fla. on Wednesday and is expected to join the Blue Jays' big-league camp Thursday, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

Securing a visa allowing Moreno to travel to the United States took longer than expected, but the 22-year-old catching prospect looks like he'll get the chance to work out with some of the Blue Jays' regulars for a few days before likely heading to minor-league camp. At this stage, Moreno's bat remains well ahead of his glove, which could prompt the Blue Jays to entertain a position change down the line. At least to begin the 2022 campaign, Moreno appears set to see most of his playing time behind the plate at Triple-A Buffalo. If he shows growth as a defender and continues to produce offensively like he did at Double-A New Hampshire in 2021 (1.092 OPS over 145 plate appearances), Moreno could be a candidate for a mid-season call-up, especially if the Blue Jays are struggling to get production out of the likes of Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk and Reese McGuire.

Murphy signed a one-year, $1.575 million contract with the Mariners on Tuesday to avoid arbitration, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.

Murphy is in his second year of arbitration eligibility after splitting time behind the plate with Cal Raleigh and Luis Torrens last season. Murphy hit .202/.304/.350 with 11 home runs in 34 RBI in 97 games, and the Mariners are entering 2022 with the same group of catchers.

Moreno has yet to arrive at camp due to visa issues, but he's expected to show up by the end of the week, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

The 22-year-old catcher is an exciting prospect, but he probably wasn't going to compete for an Opening Day roster spot even without the visa delay. He's only appeared in three Triple-A games, so he'll need to conquer that level before pushing for his major-league debut.