MLB Player News

The Brewers optioned Sullivan to Triple-A Nashville on Monday.

The versatile Sullivan had been hopeful to break camp with the Brewers as a No. 3 catcher and reserve option in the infield and outfield, but the fact that he has minor-league options remaining likely worked against him in his bid for the Opening Day roster. The 28-year-old will thus have to wait longer to make his MLB debut, though the fact that he possesses a spot on the 40-man roster bodes well for his chances of earning a call-up if the Brewers' position-player depth is tested at any point.

Contreras could spend some time in the outfield at the Triple-A level this season in an effort to increase his defensive versatility, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Contreras has a clearer path to being the catcher of the future in Atlanta after Shea Langeliers was traded to Oakland in the Matt Olson deal, but the team is set at the position right now with Travis d'Arnaud and Manny Pina. Adding the ability to play the outfield would make it easier to get Contreras' bat in the lineup, though that bat hasn't looked particularly special through his first 56 MLB games, as he's hit a modest .225/.308/.405.

Moreno was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on Monday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

The catcher is ranked as the Blue Jays' top prospect but the team will opt to go with Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk as the primary options behind the plate to open the season. Moreno failed to play in any of the team's spring outings before being sent down Monday, but he hit .356 last year in 35 games between Double-A and Triple-A while adding eight long balls and 46 RBI.

Murphy, who went 1-for-2 with a double in a Cactus League loss to the Mariners on Sunday, is hitting .545 (6-for-11) with four doubles, a home run, four RBI, a walk and two runs in his first five exhibition appearances.

The 27-year-old backstop's numbers underscore how blistering hot he's been to start spring, certainly an encouraging sign after Murphy's lackluster .216/.306/.405 slash line in 2021. While he did record a career-high 17 home runs and 59 RBI last season, Murphy's early showing this spring offers some hope he'll be able to get on base more consistently in 2022 while hopefully ceding only occasional playing time to the returning Stephen Vogt.

Wong was optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Sunday, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Wong made six big-league appearances last season and was on the roster for the wild-card game, but he won't be with the team for Opening Day. He appeared in 50 games for Worcester last year and had a .730 OPS with eight home runs, 26 RBI and seven stolen bases.

Manager Buck Showalter said McCann (back) is "ready to go" and will play in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

McCann has been battling back tightness throughout the past week but is poised to retake the field Tuesday for the Mets. The 31-year-old should be able to get up to speed for Opening Day, assuming he avoids any setbacks.

Pinto was optioned to minor-league camp Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Pinto was in big-league camp after being added to the 40-man roster in November but never had much of a chance at making the Opening Day squad with Mike Zunino and Francisco Mejia healthy. He'll open the season at Triple-A Durham, where he hit .299/.327/.532 with 12 homers and 35 RBI in 52 games last season.

Bemboom (illness) went 0-for-2 in Saturday's 14-5 win over the Pirates.

Bemboom was sidelined for a couple of days due to an illness, but it was never expected to be a long-term issue. The 32-year-old catcher will continue to compete for a spot on the big-league roster, with Robinson Chirinos, Jacob Nottingham and Beau Taylor also in the mix while Adley Rutschman (triceps) works his way back from injury.

Gomes went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Padres.

Gomes is off to a bit of a slow start this spring, as he's batting just .143 through six Cactus League games, but the veteran should be just fine for the regular season. He is expected to serve as the backup to Willson Contreras at catcher, though the Cubs could trade the latter at some point this year, which would presumably open up more playing time for Gomes. As it stands, the 34-year-old likely won't see enough playing time to make much of a fantasy impact.

Haase went 1-for-2 with a walk and a three-run home run in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

Haase relieved Tucker Barnhart and proceeded to hit his first spring home run. Haase is now batting .300 with a 1.162 OPS in Grapefruit League action, while Barnhart is batting just .077 with a .154 OPS. It's a small sample size and still very early, of course, but Haase may be able to secure more playing time during the regular season if he looks this much better at the plate than Barnhart. As it stands, Barnhart is the de facto No. 1 catcher, though the two players could split time fairly evenly to start the year. Haase may also see some time at DH, particularly if the Tigers keep Dustin Garneau on the roster as a third catcher.