MLB Player News

Plawecki went 1-for-2 with a double in Wednesday's spring game against the Rays.

Plawecki is 9-for-19 (.474) with a double and two RBI over 10 games. That line holds up well as the 29-year-old backstop competes with the 33-year-old Jonathan Lucroy for the backup catcher position. Both players have done enough to win the job, so the decision-making process will play itself out over the final two weeks. Plawecki comes at a cheaper price tag, but the Red Sox have financial flexibility after trading Mookie Betts and David Price to the Dodgers, and interim manager Ron Roenicke has history with Lucroy from their days with the Brewers.

Manager Dave Martinez said Wednesday that he expects Gomes to play around 4-to-5 times per week during the regular season, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

Though Martinez didn't say so explicitly, his division of the workload behind the plate implies that Gomes is the No. 1 catcher. Meanwhile, Martinez said that Suzuki, the other backstop on the roster, would serve as the regular battery mate for Max Scherzer and Anibal Sanchez. Suzuki is the superior hitter of the two, but Gomes' ability to control the run game along with his skills as a pitch framer look to be enough for him to handle the larger portion of a timeshare.

Contreras was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday.

The backstop will make the move to the International League for the first time after splitting the 2019 campaign between High-A Florida and Double-A Mississippi. Contreras doesn't have the long-term fantasy upside of older brother and fellow catcher Willson, but he boasts decent contact skills and should be able to stick behind the plate once he eventually gets the call to the big leagues.

Sanchez (back) tested positive for the flu Tuesday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Sanchez was scheduled to take part in catching drills and batting practice this week before returning to game action Friday, but the illness will set him back a few days.

Contreras went 3-for-3 with a solo home run and two runs scored in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Giants.

Contreras has been chugging along this spring, posting a .292 batting average and .930 OPS in Cactus League play. The 27-year-old catcher had a solid 2019 campaign with 24 home runs and 64 RBI, and he should once again be one of the top options at the position in 2020.

Murphy went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in a Cactus League win over the Rangers on Monday.

It was the first round tripper of Cactus League play for the promising backstop, who was eased into spring following offseason knee surgery and didn't see game action until March 2. Murphy, who'll be the starting catcher in 2020, has made good use of his limited opportunities thus far, hitting .375 (3-for-8) over his first 10 spring plate appearances.

Bart was reassigned to minor-league camp Tuesday, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Bart was in big-league camp to start the spring but was never under serious consideration for an Opening Day roster spot. The 23-year-old may be the catcher of the future for the Giants, but that future won't be coming just yet as he's played only 22 games at the Double-A level. His destination to start the season has yet to be announced.

Amaya was optioned to Double-A Tennessee on Tuesday, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.

He was in big-league camp for the experience, rather than as an actual candidate to break camp in the majors. Amaya is a better real-life prospect than a fantasy one, as he projects to be a quality defender who hits for a middling average and solid power.

Jansen went 1-for-3 with a grand slam in Monday's split-squad game against the Rays.

After Blake Snell had walked four of the first five batters he faced and gotten the hook, Trevor Richards entered the game and was promptly taken deep by Jansen on his second pitch. The 24-year-old catcher focused on improving his hitting routine and swing mechanics this offseason and the work has paid off in spades so far, as Jansen now sports a .429/.529/1.071 slash line through 17 plate appearances with three homers and a 3:1 BB:K. After a disappointing 2019 campaign at the plate, Jansen could be poised for a breakout.

Sanchez (back) missed his scheduled batting practice Tuesday due to a fever, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

It initially appeared as though Sanchez's back was still bothering him when his hitting session was canceled, but he's evidently dealing with an unrelated issue. He was previously expected to return to game action Friday, but the loss of another day or two due to illness will probably push that back by a few days.