MLB Player News

Amaya (elbow) is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Amaya didn't play a game after June 3 while dealing with an injury that was originally called a forearm strain. While Tommy John surgery doesn't keep hitters out for as long as it sidelines pitchers, it's still likely to require a lengthy recovery process, which could cause him to miss a meaningful portion of the 2022 campaign.

Stubbs was traded from the Astros to the Phillies on Friday in exchange for Logan Cerny.

He was set to be the victim of a roster crunch in Houston, so a change of scenery is probably welcomed by Stubbs. There isn't much behind J.T. Realmuto on the depth chart in Philadelphia, so Stubbs should compete for the backup catcher job in spring training.

Perez was designated for assignment by the Pirates on Friday.

Perez had an inconsistent role for the Pirates in 2021, and he'll now lose his spot on the 40-man roster to make room for several prospects. The 29-year-old appeared in 70 games last year and hit .143 with seven home runs, 21 RBI and 19 runs.

Diaz signed a three-year, $14.5 million contract extension with the Rockies on Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Diaz served as the Rockies' primary catcher in 2021 and slashed .246/.310/.464 with 18 homers, 52 runs and 44 RBI in 106 games. The 31-year-old's extension will cover his final year of arbitration and keep him in Colorado for at least two additional seasons.

Herrera's contract was selected from Triple-A Reno on Monday.

Herrera advanced to the Triple-A level in 2021 for the first time in his career, and he slashed .244/.358/.394 with six home runs, 32 RBI and 23 runs across 58 games. He'll now be added to the 40-man roster to keep him in the organization during the offseason.

Stephenson currently resides atop the Reds' depth chart at catcher after Cincinnati dealt Tucker Barnhart to the Tigers on Wednesday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Though he lacks the defensive polish of Barnhart, a two-time Gold Glove winner, Stephenson should represent a significant upgrade offensively from the Reds' long-standing No. 1 backstop. Even while slotting second on the depth chart for most of last season, Stephenson still earned himself regular starts at Barnhart's expense against left-handed pitching, typically slotting into the heart of the lineup on those occasions. Overall, Stephenson slashed .286/.366/.431 with 10 home runs, 56 runs and 45 RBI, with his 111 wRC+ ranking fourth among the 15 catcher-eligible players that accrued at least 400 plate appearances. The Reds will presumably add another defensive-minded veteran catcher to the roster this offseason, but in the likely event he faces lesser competition than Barnhart and receives an uptick in playing time in 2022, the 25-year-old Stephenson could have a legitimate case for being viewed as a top-five fantasy option at the position.

D'Arnaud went 2-for-4 with a solo homer in Friday's World Series Game 3 win over the Astros.

D'Arnaud committed a throwing error on a stolen-base attempt in the top of the eighth, allowing the would-be tying run to reach third base. He proved why Atlanta signed him to a two-year extension in August (despite his poor arm) in the bottom of the frame, hitting a solo shot off Kendall Graveman. He's now homered in two consecutive games.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double, a walk and a strikeout in Tuesday's 7-2 win over the Giants in Game 4 of the NLDS.

Smith was one of six Dodgers to record multiple hits in Tuesday's victory, and he displayed plenty of power. The catcher has logged hits in each of the first four games in the NLDS and has gone 6-for-15 with two home runs, two doubles, three runs and three RBI during that time.

Narvaez isn't starting Game 2 of the NLDS against Atlanta on Saturday.

Narvaez went 1-for-3 in Game 1, and he'll get a day off with lefty Max Fried on the mound for Atlanta. Manny Pina will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Maile has been included on the Brewers' roster for the NLDS against Atlanta, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Top catchers Omar Narvaez and Manny Pina stayed relatively healthy all season, so Maile spent most of 2021 at Triple-A Nashville, where he had a .663 OPS in 155 plate appearances. However, he took advantage of his 15-game stint in the majors, hitting .300/.382/.433 with four doubles, three RBI and six runs in 34 plate appearances. Maile should operate as Milwaukee's No. 3 catcher for the NLDS.