MLB Player News

Grandal is dealing with plantar fasciitis in his foot, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Grandal hasn't caught a spring training game since the end of February due to his foot, but manager Derek Shelton said he expects Grandal to resume playing in games soon. The 35-year-old will operate as Pittsburgh's starting catcher during the regular season, but Shelton has stated that Grandal's workload will be limited due to his age.

Sanchez (hand) is in the lineup for Milwaukee's Cactus League game against Seattle on Saturday.

Sanchez has spent the first portion of spring training recovering from a right hand injury he suffered during the offseason. He logged three hits over six at-bats while hitting on the back fields Wednesday and will make his spring debut as the Brewers' designated hitter -- a role Sanchez is expected to fill often in the regular season.

Rogers went 2-for-2 with a solo home run in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles.

The home run was the first for Rogers this spring, and he's now batting .250 with a robust .931 OPS in Grapefruit League play. Rogers is locked in as Detroit's starting catcher, and after hitting 21 long balls last year, there's some fantasy upside due to power potential. However, he also will likely continue to have a low batting average and high strikeout rate as an all-or-nothing type slugger.

After going 0-for-2 in a Cactus League game against the Mariners on Friday, Gomes is batting .286 this spring.

Gomes has only one extra-base hit so far in six spring games, though the .286 average is encouraging. The veteran catcher batted .308 for the Cubs last spring training, then went on to have a solid age-35 season, batting .267 and swatting 10 home runs across 116 games. His numbers may not jump off the page, but Gomes should be a solid complement to the younger Miguel Amaya this year, and both figure to see playing time.

Basallo (elbow) will make his spring debut early next week before playing in the Spring Breakout game Thursday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

The 19-year-old hasn't seen the field so far in camp while recovering from a stress fracture in his right elbow, but he's just about fully cleared for hitting. Basallo isn't expected to be ready to catch in games until the second half of April, so there's still significant rehab work left to go.

Alvarez went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals.

The young catcher took Richard Bleier deep in the fifth inning for his second homer of the spring. Alvarez slugged 25 long balls in 2023 but hit only .209 with a 26.0 percent strikeout rate and an 8.0 percent walk rate, so improving his control over the strike zone will be key to him taking a step forward as a hitter. So far in camp he's done just that, going 3-for-12 over six games with a 4:2 BB:K.

Murphy (illness) is starting behind the plate and batting third in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates.

The 29-year-old hasn't seen game action in a week due to a stomach bug, but he'll return to the field for Friday's exhibition. Murphy had a career-high 21 homers with an .843 OPS in 108 games last season, though Travis d'Arnaud should continue to see plenty of reps as Atlanta's secondary catcher in 2024.

Manager Aaron Boone has praised Wells for his defensive improvement this spring, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Wells is a highlyregarded prospect in the Yankees' system, primarily based on his hit tool and potential to hit for power. His skills profile would stand out particularly well if he can stick at catcher, though his defense has raised questions in the past. The team has given Wells the chance to prove his ability at the position this spring, and he seems to be taking advantage.

Sanchez (hand) took six at-bats on the back fields Wednesday and could make his Cactus League debut before his initial March 14 estimate, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Working his way back from a right hand injury, Sanchez had a home run, a double and a single in those six at-bats and felt good, with Brewers manager Pat Murphy saying the catcher could play "very soon." The 31-year-old will back up William Contreras at catcher and is also expected to receive ample playing time at designated hitter for Milwaukee this season.

Jansen (illness) will start at catcher and bat cleanup Thursday in the Blue Jays' Grapefruit League game against the Tigers.

He'll be back in the lineup for the first time since Saturday after a fever kept him out of commission for a few days. Jansen is once again projected to begin the 2024 season in a timeshare at catcher with Alejandro Kirk.