MLB Player News

Nola was carted off the field in the top of the fourth inning during Sunday's Cactus League game against the Cubs after being hit in the face by a pitch, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Nola was down for several minutes after being hit by the pitch, and he had to be helped to the cart while pressing a towel to his face. The Padres have a day off Monday, but the severity of the catcher's injury isn't yet clear. If Nola is forced to miss any time, Luis Campusano and Pedro Severino would see additional playing time behind the dish.

D'Arnaud went 0-for-3 in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

The veteran catcher has gone just 3-for-17 (.176) this spring with only one extra-base hit, a double, but his 1:2 BB:K shows there's little cause for concern. The offseason addition of Sean Murphy pushes d'Arnaud into a backup role this year, but he should also see some action at DH after slugging 18 homers and posting a .791 OPS over 107 games in 2022, especially if Marcell Ozuna's struggles continue.

Realmuto went 2-for-3 with a double and scored a run Saturday for Team USA in a victory over Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.

Realmuto has been on a tear in the WBC for Team USA, as the pair of hits raised his average to .625 with an .875 slugging percentage in the tournament. Even with an influx of talent at the position, Realmuto is still being drafted as the top catcher in most fantasy formats, and justifiably so.

Moreno (hand) doesn't believe his injury is serious, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

Moreno was hit in the hand by a 95.5 mph pitch during Saturday's Cactus League game, but the backstop said the pitch got him in the knuckles. He also said that he doesn't believe that he will undergo X-rays, but that could change if the hand swells up on him. Moreno should be considered day-to-day for now, and he appears to have avoided a serious injury.

Moreno left Saturday's Cactus League game against the Guardians after being hit by a pitch in the left hand/wrist area, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

Moreno was plunked by a 95.5 mph offering and immediately left the contest. The 23-year-old backstop will likely undergo testing, and there should be further updates on his status before Sunday.

Fortes left Friday's split-squad game against the Cardinals after two innings due to tendinitis in his right knee, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Per manager Skip Schumaker, the Marlins will re-evaluate Fortes on Saturday, but at this point his removal from the game seems precautionary. If the catcher ends up requiring an IL stint to begin the regular season, Austin Allen could break camp on the 26-man roster as the backup to Jacob Stallings.

Murphy went 1-for-3 with a walk in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox.

The 28-year-old hasn't made much of an impact at the plate this spring, going 4-for-17 in seven games with only one extra-base hit, a double, but Murphy is locked into the starting role at catcher for Atlanta. He slugged a career-high 18 home runs and 66 RBI in 148 games last season for the A's, and while he may not see quite that workload in 2023 with a capable backup in Travis d'Arnaud behind him, the better lineup context could still lead Murphy to top last year's production.

Bart has gone 5-for-16 (.308) with three extra-base hits, two RBI and two runs scored over seven Cactus League games.

Blake Sabol has earned a lot of attention for his strong hitting and Roberto Perez has been praised for his defensive play behind the plate, so there's still no guarantee Bart breaks camp with the Giants. Since Sabol also has experience in the outfield and is a Rule 5 pick, it's possible the Giants could carry three catchers if Bart makes the team. For his part, Bart has hit well when in the lineup this spring, so it's up to him to finish the exhibition slate strong and force a difficult decision.

Adams is set to begin the season as the Nationals' backup catcher behind Keibert Ruiz, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

The 24-year-old Ruiz is a switch hitter and is expected to handle a big workload, so Adams could be limited to only one or two starts a week. He's had an erratic spring at the plate, going 4-for-20 with three extra-base hits (two homers and a double) but a 0:11 BB:K, and he likely offers little but occasional power as a bargain DFS play or end-game option in deep two-catcher formats from a fantasy perspective.

Herrera was optioned to Triple-A Memphis by the Cardinals on Thursday.

The backup catcher role behind Willson Contreras will likely come down to Andrew Knizner and Tres Barrera. Herrera, 22, went 2-for-18 (.111) in his first taste of MLB action last year.