MLB Player News

Stassi went 1-for-4 with a double and knocked in a run in Friday's 5-1 loss to the Rangers.

The Astros had chances Friday -- they were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position -- but only Stassi broke through with a man in scoring position. Stassi, who will be the primary backup to the 34-year-old Brian McCann, got the call for the second game of the season. McCann's unlikely to get much more than 100 starts, so Stassi's in line for a significant amount of plate appearances. His framing and game-calling have improved, so there are no qualms about having him on the field. If he maintains any semblance of offense -- manager A.J. Hinch raved about his improvement at the plate during training camp -- Stassi could be a pleasant sleeper at catcher.

Leon will make his first appearance in the starting lineup this season against the Rays on Saturday, Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com reports.

Leon didn't make an appearance during the Red Sox's Opening Day loss and wasn't in the lineup for Friday's contest, but manager Alex Cora stated that the 29-year-old will be behind the plate when Rick Porcello takes the mound Saturday. With Christian Vazquez the primary catcher, it seems likely that Leon will only see marginal playing time this season.

Perez is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Mariners.

With Perez situated on the bench, Yan Gomes will draw the start behind the dish for the Indians' season opener. Perez and Gomes are expected to split time behind the plate in 2018.

The Royals officially placed Perez on the 10-day disabled list Thursday, MLB.com reports.

The transaction comes one day after the Royals revealed that Perez was dealing with a Grade 2 tear of the MCL in his left knee, which he sustained while carrying a suitcase up a flight of stairs. The injury is projected to sideline Perez for 4-to-6 weeks, leaving Drew Butera to act as the team's primary backup. The Royals recalled Cam Gallagher from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move to provide depth behind Butera.

Gallagher was called up by Kansas City on Thursday, Joel Goldberg of FOX Sports Kansas City reports.

With Salvador Perez expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks with a torn MCL, Gallagher will serve as the backup catcher to Drew Butera. Over 13 appearances with the club last season, Gallagher slashed .250/.333/.417.

Perez suffered a Grade 2 MCL tear and will be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks, Rustin Dodd of The Athletic Kansas City reports.

This is a brutal blow for Perez and the Royals on the eve of Opening Day. According to Maria Torres of The Kansas City Star, the backstop apparently suffered the injury after he slipped while lifting a suitcase. Manager Ned Yost said he doesn't think Perez will need surgery, but the 27-year-old is still set to miss an extended chunk to start the season. Perez's initial recovery timeline puts a possible return date around early-to-mid May, though that could change depending on how his rehab goes. For now, look for Drew Butera to handle primary catching duties for the Royals until Perez is healthy.

Perez was designated for assignment on Tuesday.

Perez lost out to Rene Rivera as the backup catcher. He could get claimed by another team looking for a backup catcher.

McCann went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, his first this spring, in Monday's Grapefruit League tie with the Rays.

With J.D. Martinez no longer in town, the Tigers would like to see McCann take a step forward this season in terms of power and run production. The 27-year-old posted a career best 13 home runs and 49 RBI last season in 352 at-bats, and with better lineup placement and possibly more opportunities in 2018, he could exceed those marks if he stays healthy.

Narvaez will open the season as the backup to primary catcher Welington Castillo, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Narvaez was expected to compete with Kevan Smith for the role in spring training, but the job battle effectively ended last week when Smith sprained his ankle to take himself out of the running. The two backstops were stuck in a timeshare for much of the past season that resulted in Narvaez netting only 295 plate appearances. Narvaez will see his playing time dip further in 2018 if Castillo avoids the lower-body issues that nagged him throughout his time in Baltimore last season.

The Mariners reassigned Gosewisch to their minor-league camp Sunday, TJ Cotterill of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.

With Gosewisch likely ticketed for Triple-A Tacoma to begin the season, Mike Marjama is slated to open the season as the Mariners' backup catcher behind primary option Mike Zunino. Gosewisch made 11 appearances for the big club in 2017, recording just two hits in 28 at-bats.