MLB Player News

Grandal (forearm) will be out through at least Monday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Grandal has been battling a forearm injury all week and was even sent in for testing on the area on Tuesday. He continues to have his timetable pushed back, and Gurnick notes that Grandal's chances of being ready for Opening Day continue to grow smaller with each day that passes. This is certainly a concern for owners targeting Grandal later in drafts hoping that this is the year he cashes in on his upside with the Dodgers.

Perez has logged nine hits (including a home run) in 32 at-bats this spring.

Perez officially entered camp in a three-way battle with Jett Bandy and Geovany Soto for the starting catcher's spot, but was likely considered the frontrunner after taking playing time from Chris Iannetta in his final season with the club. Perez was able to close 2015 with a flourish, notching a .933 OPS in September, but finished the year with just a .299 OBP and .096 ISO.

Sanchez has been optioned to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre, the club announced.

Sanchez was expected to make the team as Brian McCann's backup, but he has struggled mightily this spring, going just 1-for-21 at the plate. Austin Romine now has the inside track for New York's backup catcher spot.

Mesoraco (hip) has been getting extra at-bats in minor league games to make up for his late start to spring training.

The Reds seem confident that Mesoraco will be able to go for Opening Day. It wouldn't be a surprise if Mesoraco plays less regularly early in the season to preserve his health, however.

Grandal (forearm) was expected to return to the lineup Thursday but will still be held from swinging a bat or throwing for a "few days," Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports.

The Dodgers insist it's nothing major, but Grandal continues to struggle to get over this forearm issue. He was sent for additional tests earlier this week and nothing was detected, so hopefully a few more days of rest will be enough to get over it. If he's still struggling with this injury through the weekend, however, it will be time to start worrying.

Bethancourt's teammate Austin Hedges will likely start the season with Triple-A El Paso, the Union-Tribune's Dennis Lin reports.

Coming off October surgery to repair a torn meniscus, Bethancourt appears to have beaten out Hedges for the backup catcher's job, with both players posting surprisingly strong batting numbers this spring. Bethancourt and Hedges are defense-first prospects, whereas top backstop Derek Norris provides most of his value with the bat.

Hedges will likely start the season with Triple-A El Paso, the Union-Tribune's Dennis Lin reports.

Christian Bethancourt apparently beat out Hedges for the backup catcher's job behind starter Derek Norris. Hedges owns a .300/.391/.650 slash line through 23 plate appearances in the Cactus League, but he posted an ugly .168/.215/.248 line over 152 plate appearances with the Padres last season.

Acosta went 2-for-2 with two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's 5-2 spring victory over the Twins.

With many of the Rays regulars unavailable due to a delayed return from Havana, the backup catcher received some rare playing time and fully capitalized. His seventh-inning, two-run double tied the game, and Acosta subsequently scored the lead run on a two-out throwing error by Twins shortstop Eduardo Nunez. He added a ninth-inning RBI on his second two-bagger of the afternoon. Acosta has only six exhibition at-bats to date, and is essentially serving as a spring-training body after signing a minor-league contract on Feb. 18 and receiving an invite to camp.

Gomes was out of action Wednesday due to flu-like symptoms, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Gomes should be back by the weekend and this shouldn't be anything that will impact his readiness for the start of the regular season.

The Pirates are still evaluating the injury to Diaz (elbow) but believe it may not be too serious. "We're not overly concerned with that compartment at this time," trainer Todd Tomczyk told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"This is more of a chronic thing," Tomczyk said. "We are in a pause and a holding pattern from games played." Diaz is refraining from using his right arm to throw the ball but is still participating in non-throwing drills.