MLB Player News

The Giants have tendered contracts to all six arbitration-eligible players, per the team's official website on Tuesday. Those players include: Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, Gregor Blanco, Hector Sanchez, Travis Ishikawa and Yusmeiro Petit.

The Tigers plan to maintain Alex Avila as their starting catcher next season despite his issues with concussions and declining production since his peak season of 2011, but they will likely allow Avila to walk in free agency after the year in favor of promising James McCann, per the Detroit News.

Avila finished 2014 with a meager stat line of .218/.327/.359. His 61 walks in 390 at-bats and continued strength behind the plate were two pluses.

Padres vice president of scouting operations Don Welke said he heard good things about catcher Yasmani Grandal, who hit .328 with a .469 on-base percentage in the Dominican winter league. He also had seven doubles, two homers and 14 RBI in 19 games, while totaling 18 walks against 15 strikeouts.

"The reports were all good on Grandal," Welke said, per MLB.com. "He looked sharper offensively and defensively. You know he's doing good when quite a few teams express interest in him. I think he's got a chance to have a lot of impact."

After appearing in 146 games behind the plate in 2014, the Royals might be inclined to give catcher Salvador Perez more starts at DH in 2015 in an attempt to preserve his knees, a source told the Philadelphia Daily News.

Perez made four appearances at DH in 2014, but the team is considering their DH options for 2015 since Billy Butler is a free agent. There is a report the Royals might consider trading for Ryan Howard to be the primary DH. Although, it doesn't seem Howard is high on the Royals' priority list, per the Daily News.

The Mets have signed catcher Johnny Monell to a minor-league deal.

Monell spent time with the Orioles and Dodgers last season. He hit .238/.301/.364 over 206 at-bats in Triple-A. 

The Astros have acquired veteran backup catcher Hank Conger from the Angels for fellow catcher Carlos Perez and right-hander pitcher Nick Tropeano.

Conger compiled a .221/.293/.325 stat line in 2014 with four home runs and 25 RBI.

The Blue Jays have exercised the 2015 options on pitcher J.A. Happ and catcher Josh Thole, Sportsnet.ca reports.

Happ will earn $6.7 million in 2015 as the team opted to retain him rather than pay a $200,000 buyout. Thole is set to make $1.75 million next season.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez went 1 for 3 with a solo home run in his team's 7-1 loss to the Giants in Game 1 of the World Series Tuesday.

Perez struck the only blow the Royals could manage on offense, finally getting a run off Giants starter Madison Bumgarner after he allowed only two hits through six scoreless innings. By the time of Perez's bomb, the Royals were dug in a hole from which they couldn't escape. It's a rare sign of life from the catcher's bat, as he's hit just .135/.158/.216 in 37 postseason at-bats despite the Royals racking up win after win in the first three rounds.

The Mets announced catcher Travis d'Arnaud will rehab 6-8 weeks following surgery Tuesday to have a bone chip removed from his elbow, according to the New York Post.

Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez (foot) and catcher Chris Stewart (wrist) are not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's wild-card game against the Giants. Alvarez hasn't played since Sept. 5, while Stewart sits in favor of regular starter Russell Martin.