MLB Player News
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Matt Thaiss C | CHC
Angels' Matt Thaiss: Designated for assignment
The Angels designated Thaiss for assignment Thursday, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Thaiss slashed .204/.323/.299 with 16 RBI across 186 plate appearances last year while serving as the primary backup to Logan O'Hoppe -- a role the newly signed Travis d'Arnaud is expected to fill. Thaiss may draw interest from other teams in need of depth at catcher, though no landing spot is likely to result in a starting job for the 29-year-old backstop.
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Travis d'Arnaud C | LAA
Angels' Travis d'Arnaud: Gets two-year deal from Angels
The Angels signed d'Arnaud to a two-year, $12 million contract Tuesday.
Atlanta declined d'Arnaud's $8 million club option for 2025 last week, but the veteran catcher quickly found a multi-year pact with a new organization. It's not an ideal landing spot for fantasy since d'Arnaud will be second on the catching depth chart behind Logan O'Hoppe, but he could still play enough to be a viable option in deeper formats. D'Arnaud, who turns 36 in February, slashed .238/.302/.436 with 15 home runs over 99 regular-season games in 2024.
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Austin Hedges C | CLE
Guardians' Austin Hedges: Re-signing with Cleveland
The Guardians agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract with Hedges on Wednesday, Buster Olney of ESPN reports.
Hedges will return to Cleveland as Bo Naylor's backup. The 32-year-old slashed only .152/.203/.220 with two homers in 66 contests for the Guardians this season but is lauded for his defense and handling of a pitching staff.
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Rene Pinto C | BAL
Orioles' Rene Pinto: Claimed by Baltimore
The Orioles claimed Pinto off waivers from the Rays on Monday, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Pinto began the 2024 season as the Rays' starting catcher but was sent down in early May after a slow start and was never recalled. The 28-year-old has hit .231/.263/.404 with 10 home runs over 82 games at the big-league level. Baltimore has an opening at backup catcher and Pinto will be a candidate to fill it.
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Austin Wells C | NYY
Yankees' Austin Wells: Hits key Game 4 home run
Wells went 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk in Tuesday's 11-4 win over Los Angeles in Game 4 of the World Series.
Wells hit his second-deck solo shot with the Yankees up 5-4 in the sixth inning. The Yankees tacked on five more runs and cruised to victory. Los Angeles now leads the series 3-1 and will have a chance to close things out in Game 5 on Wednesday.
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Jose Trevino C | NYY
Yankees' Jose Trevino: Getting start at catcher in Game 3
Trevino will start at catcher Monday in Game 3 of the World Series against the Dodgers, Buster Olney of ESPN reports.
Right-hander Walker Buehler will be on the mound for the Dodgers, but it will be the right-handed hitting Trevino behind the plate rather than the lefty-batting Austin Wells. It's the second start this postseason for Trevino, who is 1-for-3 with an RBI single so far during the playoffs.
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Bo Naylor C | CLE
Guardians' Bo Naylor: Out of lineup again in Game 4
Naylor is not in the lineup Friday for Game 4 of the ALCS against the Yankees, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
The Yankees are starting a righty in Luis Gil, but the left-handed-hitting Naylor will yield to Austin Hedges at catcher for the second straight game. Naylor is hitless in his six starts this postseason but delivered a pinch hit in Thursday's comeback win.
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Austin Wells C | NYY
Yankees' Austin Wells: Sitting versus lefty
Wells is not in the lineup Thursday for Game 3 of the ALCS against the Guardians.
Wells is just 2-for-24 so far during the playoffs and also ended the regular season in a 2-for-41 drought at the dish. He will yield to Jose Trevino at catcher as the Guardians send southpaw Matthew Boyd to the bump.
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Bo Naylor C | CLE
Guardians' Bo Naylor: Sitting out Game 3
Naylor isn't in the lineup Thursday for Game 3 of the ALCS versus the Yankees, Chris Assenheimer of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Naylor has gone 0-for-14 through seven postseason games so far, so the Guardians will sit him down in favor of Austin Hedges in an effort to get some offensive production from behind the plate.