MLB Player News

Braves catcher Christian Bethancourt will be sidelined for one-to-two days after he had two wisdom teeth pulled Tuesday morning, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is hitting .306/.297/.556 with one home run and seven RBI over 36 spring at-bats.

The Blue Jays announced Tuesday catcher Josh Thole was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. Thole's demotion means Russell Martin will be knuckleballer R.A. Dickey's personal catcher, per MLB.com.

Thole's demotion also means Dioner Navarro, who has asked for a trade, will be the backup catcher and get some at-bats at DH.

Red Sox manager John Farrell indicated Monday with the acquisition of Sandy Leon from the Nationals, prospect Blake Swihart will start the season in Triple-A, per ESPN. Leon has the inside track for the backup catcher job behind Ryan Hanigan.

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco said Monday he was held out of the spring lineup because his hamstring was a little sore, per the Cincinnati Enquirer. Although, Mesoraco said he would have played if it were the regular season.

"I think it's going to fine," he said.

Mesoraco left Sunday's spring game with a cramp in his left quad.

The Red Sox traded for Nationals catcher Sandy Leon on Monday. The Nationals received cash considerations in exchange for Leon.

To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox placed catcher Christian Vazquez (elbow) on the 60-day disabled list.

The 26-year-old Leon has appeared in just 34 games at the major-league level. He has a .236/.324/.329/.653 slash line over eight seasons in the minors.

The Tigers announced Monday catcher Bryan Holaday was optioned to Triple-A Toledo. His demotion means James McCann will start the season as the primary backup to starting catcher Alex Avila, per MLB.com.

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco was removed from Sunday's game due to a cramp in his left quad, the team announced.

Mesoraco came up lame while rounding third base. He finished the game 0 for 2 at the plate and is just 6 for 28 with two home runs this spring.

The Red Sox will give catching prospect Blake Swihart an extended look over the final week of spring training to determine whether to give him a spot on the Opening Day roster, CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman reports.

Christian Vazquez was projected to be the team's starting catcher coming into spring training but is dealing with an elbow injury that may require Tommy John surgery. Despite the need at the catcher position, the Red Sox have not yet called the Blue Jays to inquire about No. 2 catcher Dioner Navarro, who has asked to be traded and is carrying a $5-million salary for 2015.

Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez will be evaluated by Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday, per the Boston Herald's Michael Silverman which is not a good sign for his injured elbow.

The Sox said that an MRI on Vazquez's injured elbow "found something". While no decision on surgery has been made, Andrews is the pioneer of Tommy John elbow surgery, which would keep Vazquez out for close to a year. 

Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez underwent an MRI on his injured elbow, and told reporters on Saturday that they "found something," but have to make a firm diagnosis. He's scheduled to undergo a second opinion in the Fort Myers area, according to WEEI.

Vazquez caught a minor-league game on Friday, but was prohibited from throwing to bases. Manager John Farrell said he's unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, per the Providence Journal. The Red Sox will likely consider Ryan Hanigan and prospect Blake Swihart as possible replacements for Vazquez.

"There's a little bit there, but I've got more in my tank," Vazquez said. "I want to be 100 percent to help the team. I need to be ready to help the team win.

"That's my goal, be ready and healthy because this is my first time getting hurt. I'm a little bit sad with myself for my first time, but I'm fine."