MLB Player News

Jeffers went 2-for-4 with a walk, a home run and four RBI in Wednesday's 7-3 win over the Brewers.

After an 0-for-13 beginning to his season, including his first two official at-bats in this one, Jeffers cranked a three-run homer off Bryse Wilson in the seventh inning to break open a 3-3 tie. The 26-year-old catcher had a breakout 2023 campaign, slashing .276/.369/.490 with 14 home runs in 96 games, and he'll be given every chance to repeat or improve on those numbers. Jeffers has started four of the Twins' first five games -- three behind the plate, and one at DH.

King is recovering from right shoulder surgery in October and is expected to get in games later this summer, MLB.com reports.

A fourth-round pick in 2022, King is a glove-first catcher with no experience above rookie ball. He hit .324 with zero home runs, 23 strikeouts and five steals in 21 games in the Arizona Complex League last year as a 19-year-old.

Manager Derek Shelton said Wednesday that Grandal (foot) just started a running progression and is "a ways away" from being game ready, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Progress has been slow since Grandal was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in early March, but the start of a running progression is an encouraging development. Still, the Pirates clearly don't expect the 35-year-old to be available anytime in the near future. The club traded for Joey Bart on Tuesday to boost its catching depth.

Gomes is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Rockies.

The Cubs have now gone with Miguel Amaya at catcher in two straight games and three of the last four contests. Gomes still seems likely to ultimately receive the bulk of the starts behind the dish, but manager Craig Counsell evidently is liking what Amaya is bringing right now.

Amaya will start at catcher and bat ninth in Wednesday's game against the Rockies.

Heading into the regular season, Amaya looked to be the Cubs' clear No. 2 catcher, but he's operated in more of a timeshare with Yan Gomes behind the plate. The two backstops have now made three starts apiece over the Cubs' first six games, with all three of Amaya's starts coming within the last four of those contests. The 25-year-old will likely need to capture a larger role before becoming a more viable roster option in mixed leagues that start just one catcher, but he might be a worthy pickup in two-catcher leagues or NL-only leagues based on how frequently he's been playing early on this season.

The Pirates placed Delay on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with right knee inflammation, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Delay's placement on the IL is retroactive to Monday, so he'll be eligible for activation as soon as April 11. However, because he still has three minor-league options remaining, Delay seems more likely to be headed for Triple-A Indianapolis once activated after the Pirates acquired fellow catcher Joey Bart from the Giants on Tuesday. Bart was added to the 26-man roster Wednesday in a corresponding move, and since he's a former top prospect with no options remaining, he'll likely move ahead of Delay on the organizational catching depth chart. In addition to Bart, the Pirates have 2021 No. 1 overall pick Henry Davis and veteran Yasmani Grandal (foot) -- who is on the IL while he recovers from plantar fasciitis -- ahead of Delay in the pecking order behind the dish.

Stallings will start at catcher and bat ninth in Wednesday's game against the Cubs, Luke Zahlmann of The Denver Gazette reports.

Stallings will get his second start through the Rockies' first seven games of the season. The 2021 Gold Glove Award winner had spent much of the past two seasons in a near-even timeshare at catcher with Nick Fortes in Miami, but Stallings now finds himself as the clear No. 2 option in Colorado after signing a one-year deal with the club in January.

Higashioka will start at catcher and bat ninth in Wednesday's game against the Cardinals.

Higashioka will pick up just his second start through the Padres' first nine contests of the season while Luis Campusano rests for the day game after he played all nine innings behind the dish in Tuesday's 5-2 loss to the Cardinals. Assuming health prevails, Campusano looks primed to shoulder one of the heavier workloads among No. 1 catchers in baseball this season, so Higashioka's opportunities are expected to remain infrequent.

Diaz is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs, Luke Zahlmann of The Denver Gazette reports.

It's a routine day off for Diaz, who is 3-for-17 with a home run in his first five games this season. Jacob Stallings will do the catching for starting pitcher Cal Quantrill.

Raleigh is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians.

Raleigh will get a rest for the day game after he logged nine innings behind the dish and went 2-for-4 with a run scored in a 5-2 loss Tuesday night. Seby Zavala will handle the catching duties in the series finale.