MLB Player News

Maldonado (thumb) is in the lineup for Saturday's spring game against the Cardinals, according to MLB.com.

Maldonado missed a few days after taking a foul ball off his left thumb, but he will be back behind the plate Saturday and will hit seventh in the Astros' batting order.

Sanchez has a sore back but is expected to return to game action Monday, George A. King III of the New York Post reports.

He played Thursday and Friday and wasn't scheduled to catch Saturday, but it's still noteworthy that he is dealing with some soreness. This doesn't sound like a reason to downgrade him in fantasy drafts, but if he is unable to get back into game action next week, that could change.

Deglan was sent to minor-league camp Thursday.

The move comes as no surprise as Deglan is not on the 40-man roster and has logged only 19 at-bats at the Triple-A level. The 27-year-old played in five Grapefruit League games, collecting three hits in five plate appearances, including one double.

Rutschman was assigned to minor-league camp by the Orioles on Friday.

The 2019 first overall pick spent the first couple weeks of spring training in major-league camp, but there was never a realistic chance of him sticking with the big club. Rutschman progressed quickly through rookie ball and finished his first professional season at Low-A Delmarva, though he struggled with a .594 OPS in 46 plate appearances.

Stassi (hip) is starting behind the plate and batting sixth in Friday's Cactus League game versus the Royals.

The 28-year-old has previously served as a designated hitter in spring games, but his return to defensive action indicates he's been fully cleared from offseason hip surgery. Stassi is expected to compete with Anthony Bemboom for the backup catching job in spring training.

Grandal (calf) is starting behind the plate and batting cleanup for Friday's Cactus League matchup with the Cubs, LaMond Pope of the Chicago Tribune reports.

The veteran backstop caught three innings during the White Sox's "B" game Wednesday against the Reds, but Friday will represent his first foray into Cactus League action this spring. Grandal still figures to be limited to a few innings Friday, but it's a promising sign for his Opening Day status as he continues his recovery from the calf strain he sustained in mid-February.

Nola, who's hitting .250 (4-for-16) with one RBI and two runs over his first six Cactus League games, will split playing time at catcher with Tom Murphy fairly evenly this season, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

The Mariners traded Omar Narvaez to the Brewers this offseason, leaving the primary backup job at catcher to Nola, who logged time most of his time at first base during his rookie 2019 campaign. However, manager Scott Servais confirmed Thursday that he envisions Nola being very close in playing time to Murphy in an effort to help prevent wear and tear on both players. "I think it's really going to be a balance," Servais said. "Everybody says, 'Oh, Murphy is the starting catcher.' He'll start Opening Night, probably. We'll see. But those guys are going to be more of a 55-45 [percent split]. They're both going to play a very similar amount."

Wynns (groin) said he was scratched ahead of Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins merely as a precaution, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports. "Everything's good," Wynns said. "Just taking precautions, but ready to go."

Wynns is likely just dealing with some minor soreness after taking a foul ball to his groin area while he was catching Monday. He's expected to check back into the spring lineup within the next few days, so his brief absence shouldn't impact his chances of beating out Chance Sisco for the Orioles' No. 2 catching job.

Grandal (calf) had two at-bats and caught three innings in the White Sox's "B" game against the Reds on Wednesday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Grandal tested the strained left calf muscle, rapping a double in his first at-bat and swiping third base with nobody covering due to a defensive shift. He exited the game feeling good, per manager Rick Renteria, who added that Grandal may have a short catching stint Friday against the Cubs, pending the response of his body.

Murphy has enjoyed a strong start to camp as he prepares to serve as the primary catcher this season, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

The veteran is being lauded for his leadership, veteran presence and relationship with the pitching staff, although Murphy still remains somewhat of an unknown quantity as a full-time player since he's never filled such a role over his first five big-league seasons. The 28-year-old does have a reputation for strong work ethic and preparation, with the latter especially important considering Murphy will serve as the battery mate to a pair of promising but raw young arms in Justus Sheffield and Justin Dunn this season. At the plate, Murphy will also look to improve his numbers versus right-handed pitchers after slashing just .211/.252/.401 against that handedness in 2019, although Johns notes righty bat Austin Nola, who generated a solid .275/.335/.413 line in same-handed matchups last season, could will draw some of those starts as Murphy's backup during the 2020 campaign.