MLB Player News

Nido (foot) is expected to be ready to hit Sunday but isn't quite ready to catch, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports.

Nido was scratched from Friday's lineup after fouling a ball off his foot the day before. X-rays were negative and he's already able to hit, so there's little reason to fear for his readiness for Opening Day.

Stassi started at catcher in Friday's Cactus League game versus Arizona, playing four innings and drawing a walk in his only plate appearance.

Stassi has been working his way back from the hip surgery he underwent last October, and he was consequently limited to DH duty prior to Friday. Now that he has returned to the field, Stassi should have adequate time to prepare for his role as the Angels' primary catcher this season.

Diaz went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run in Friday's spring loss to the Giants.

The Rockies' catchers only combined for two home runs last year, but Diaz and Dom Nunez have now homered in back-to-back spring games for Colorado. Diaz has appeared in six games to begin Cactus League play and has gone 7-for-14 with one home run, three doubles, four runs, four RBI, one walk and two strikeouts.

Grandal (knee) will make his Cactus League debut Saturday against the Angels, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

It was originally announced that Grandal would appear in "B" games Friday and Saturday, but the White Sox changed course and will have the injured catcher appear in Saturday's main game. He served as the designated hitter Friday and went 1-for-4 and will follow up as the DH on Saturday against Los Angeles' Shohei Otani. There have been no announced plans for when Grandal will start behind the plate, although manager Tony La Russa said Grandal has been participating in catching drills and is "on time" in terms of his rehab.

Nido was scratched from the lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Marlins due to a left foot contusion, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

The reason for Nido's removal wasn't initially clear, but it sounds like he isn't dealing with anything serious. He fouled a ball off his foot during batting practice Thursday, but X-rays were negative. The injury shouldn't meaningfully impact his preparation for Opening Day.

Grandal (knee) will serve as the designated hitter in a pair of B games Friday and Saturday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Grandal has been dealing with knee inflammation since late February. The White Sox have been cautious with him, and it's still not clear exactly when he'll get back behind the plate. He should still have time to get up to game speed by Opening Day as long as he begins getting defensive reps soon, however.

Nido was scratched from the lineup for Friday's game against Miami for undisclosed reasons, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

Nido is expected to back up James McCann behind the plate this season. It's not yet clear if he's dealing with something that could send him to the injured list to start the season. Non-roster invitee Caleb Joseph will start in his place Friday and could potentially earn a roster spot if Nido is indeed dealing with a long-term issue.

Perez has focused on being more patient at the plate and taking more pitches this spring, Lynn Worthy of The Kansas City Star reports.

Perez has a career 3.4 percent walk rate and walked only 1.9 percent of the time across 156 plate appearances in 2020. His attempts to scale back his aggressiveness have yielded some results so far, as he's already earned two free passes through 20 plate appearances in spring training. The approach may not last into the regular season, as Perez said that his primary focus will be continuing to make plenty of hard contact.

Ruiz will work as the Dodgers' reserve catcher Friday and Sunday, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Ruiz was forced to arrive late to camp due to visa issues, but he's now prepared to appear in his first games this spring. He managed to make eight plate appearances with the big-league club in 2020, but Ruiz is likely to begin the season at the alternate site with Will Smith and Austin Barnes ahead of him on the depth chart.

Grandal (knee) took swings during a simulated game Wednesday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Grandal continues to work his way back from right knee inflammation, and he looked good once again in Wednesday's sim game. Manager Tony La Russa remains encouraged by Grandal's progress, but it's not yet clear when he'll be able to appear in spring games.