MLB Player News

Rortvedt (finger) underwent surgery Wednesday to address an aneurysm near his left shoulder and isn't expected to resume baseball activities for at least one month, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

According to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, the procedure addressed a circulation issue in his shoulder, which had been affecting his finger. Given that he won't be cleared in time to play in Grapefruit League games, Rortvedt appears likely to open the 2023 season on the injured list. The 25-year-old looked like a candidate to open the previous season as the Yankees' No. 1 catcher, but after suffering an oblique injury last spring and then undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in May, he didn't debut for the big club in 2022.

Gomes could be in line for a larger role in 2023 with Willson Contreras moving on to St. Louis in the offseason, Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic report.

Contreras is out and Tucker Barnhart is in, with Gomes returning to the roster. That gives the Cubs two defensive-minded, veteran catchers who may end up splitting time. That's a different arrangement than past seasons, when Contreras was clearly the top option behind the plate. It could mean more playing time for Gomes, who appeared in 86 games for Chicago last year with an OPS of .625 over 293 plate appearances.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted this past weekend that Smith will not DH quite as much in 2023, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

That's because the Dodgers brought in J.D. Martinez over the winter to fill that role on pretty much an everyday basis. Smith drew 24 starts out of the DH spot in 2022, compared to 107 starts at catcher. He could potentially push more toward 120 starts behind the plate in 2023. "The one thing I don't want Will to hear right now is he's gonna get less at-bats," Roberts said. "We're gonna manage it, monitor it and see how it goes."

Rortvedt (finger) was unable to return to workouts as hoped Tuesday, Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports.

The 25-year-old is still having his finger injury evaluated by a specialist and the Yankees hope to have more clarification Wednesday. Rortvedt -- who missed much of 2022 with a knee injury -- is competing this spring to be the backup behind Jose Trevino.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday that Rortvedt is tending to a finger injury, but the catcher is expected to return to camp Tuesday, Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports.

Boone didn't elaborate on the extent of Rortvedt's finger injury, though it's believed to be only a minor concern. The injury may nonetheless keep Rortvedt from being ready to go when the Yankees open their Grapefruit League schedule Saturday versus the Phillies. Rortvedt looks like he'll get the chance to compete for the No. 2 catcher role in spring training, but Kyle Higashioka presumably has the inside track on the gig after handling those duties for much of the 2022 season.

Raleigh (thumb) took live batting practice against Mariners reliever Diego Castillo on Monday and appears to be fully healthy for spring training, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Raleigh had already been catching bullpen sessions during the first couple weeks of camp in Arizona, but his ability to add batting practice to his workout regimen suggests that he's been cleared for full baseball activities after undergoing surgery in the fall to address a broken left thumb and a torn ligament in his hand. Coming off a 2022 campaign in which he hit just .211 but led all backstops with 27 home runs, Raleigh is likely to be drafted as a starting catcher in nearly every fantasy league.

Garver (forearm) took batting practice Monday and appears to be healthy for spring training, Jeff Wilson of RangersToday.com reports.

Garver, who agreed to a one-year, $3.9 million deal in January to avoid arbitration, is back in Texas for a second season. After heading into Opening Day last season as the Rangers' top backstop, Garver ended up making just 14 starts behind the plate before a right flexor sprain limited him strictly to designated-hitter duties until he underwent season-ending surgery on his forearm shortly before the All-Star break. Though his ability to take batting practice at the start of spring training suggests he's at or close to 100 percent, Garver may have to settle for more of a part-time role at catcher and DH in 2023. Even before having forearm surgery, Garver graded out poorly behind the plate. Jonah Heim, meanwhile, is a superior defensive option who also showed some pop and decent bat-to-ball skills while serving as Texas' primary backstop last season. The righty-hitting Garver thus looks like a better candidate for a short-side platoon gig at catcher or DH.

Kirk has yet to report to spring training as he awaits the birth of his child, Gregor Chisholm of The Toronto Star reports.

"We're still on baby watch," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Friday. "I thought it was going to be (Thursday). My last update this morning was, 'Not quite yet.' " Kirk is going to play for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, so after he does report he might only get in a couple weeks work before departing for the tournament in early March.

Alvarez will likely begin the season with Triple-A Syracuse, Abbey Mastracco of The New York Daily News reports.

The Mets have two more experienced catchers ahead of him on the depth chart in Omar Narvaez and Tomas Nido, so the club figures to send Alvarez back to the minors to work on his defense and gain some confidence. The 21-year-old is fully recovered from October ankle surgery however, and a big spring could force the organization to re-consider its plans for the top prospect. "You always want players to make you think about what if?" manager Buck Showalter said Friday. "Not everybody in camp can make the club, that's just how it is. But we know Nido and Omar are going to be our catchers and we'll see where Francisco fits in that mix." Even if he isn't on the Opening Day roster, Alvarez figures to be back in the majors at some point this season, potentially seeing at-bats at DH in addition to his work behind the plate.

White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Friday that he wants Grandal to primarily focus on catching this year, per Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com.

Grandal was limited to DH duties for stretches last season due to back and knee injuries, but he entered camp at full health, and the hope is that he can be a near-everyday presence behind the plate throughout the 2023 campaign. "I haven't really thought about him as a DH," said Grifol. "That doesn't mean he's not going to. But he's our catcher."