MLB Player News
-
Connor Wong C | BOS
Red Sox's Connor Wong: Undergoes hand surgery
Wong underwent a successful right hand carpal boss excision procedure Thursday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
A carpal boss excision involves the removal of a painful bony growth on the back of the wrist. The Red Sox did not reveal a rehab timetable for Wong, but the surgery is considered minor. Wong slashed only .190/.262/.238 over 63 games for the Red Sox in 2025, losing his starting job to Carlos Narvaez (knee). Narvaez had surgery himself this week, but both catchers should be fine for the start of spring training.
-
Carlos Narvaez C | BOS
Red Sox's Carlos Narvaez: Undergoes knee surgery
Narvaez underwent a successful left knee meniscectomy Wednesday, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
Narvaez played through a meniscus injury in his knee for much of the second half of the regular season and the playoffs before having a cleanup procedure Wednesday. He is expected to be fully recovered before spring training and should enter the 2026 season as Boston's top catcher after slashing .241/.306/.419 with 15 home runs in 118 contests.
-
Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: In Game 3 lineup
Smith (hand) will start at catcher and bat fifth against the Phillies in Game 3 of the NLDS on Wednesday.
Smith's fractured right hand kept him on the bench for the Dodgers' first four postseason games, though he was able to deliver a two-run single off the bench in Game 2 on Monday. He'll now return to the starting nine and provide the Dodgers with another power bat while the team looks to punch its ticket to the NLCS.
-
Cal Raleigh C | SEA
Mariners' Cal Raleigh: Homers in Game 3 victory
Raleigh went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and an additional RBI during Tuesday's win over Detroit in Game 3 of the ALDS.
After delivering a historic 60-homer campaign during the regular season, Raleigh flexed his muscles once more by hitting a 391-foot blast off Brenan Hanifee in the ninth to give the Mariners a couple of insurance runs in a game they would win 8-4. The AL MVP candidate is now 6-for-13 with three RBI and two runs scored through three games in the postseason.
-
Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Delivers clutch hit off bench
Smith went 1-for-2 with two RBI in Monday's 4-3 win over the Phillies in Game 2 of the National League Division Series.
Smith came off the bench for a second straight game as he continues to ramp back up from a fractured right hand. He came through with a clutch two-out base knock in the top of the seventh inning, driving home a pair to increase his team's lead to three. This may be the final game in which Smith is deployed off the bench, as Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported earlier in the day that the backstop is trending toward a start in Game 3.
-
Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Out of lineup again for Game 2
Smith (hand) remains out of the lineup Monday for Game 2 of the NLDS against the Phillies.
Smith hasn't started a game in nearly a month due to a fractured right hand, though he did pinch hit in Game 1 and remained in the contest to catch. He'll be available off the bench again for Game 2, but the Dodgers aren't ready to put him back into the starting lineup just yet. Smith caught Yoshinobu Yamamoto's bullpen session pregame, and manager Dave Roberts said Smith is trending toward starting at catcher in Game 3 on Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. Ben Rortvedt is catching and batting ninth for the Dodgers on Monday.
-
Carlos Narvaez C | BOS
Red Sox's Carlos Narvaez: Set for meniscus surgery this week
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Monday that Narvaez will undergo arthroscopic surgery this week to repair the meniscus in his left knee, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Narvaez played through a damaged meniscus for much of the second half of the regular season and will have a cleanup procedure on the knee following Boston's elimination from the playoffs. It's considered a minor surgery and is not expected to affect the catcher's availability for the start of spring training. After slashing .273/.347/.439 in the first half, Narvaez hit only .187/.233/.387 after the All-Star break, suggesting the knee issue hampered his offensive production. The 26-year-old should enter the 2026 campaign at the top of the catcher depth chart for the Red Sox.
-
Miguel Amaya C | CHC
Cubs' Miguel Amaya: Unlikely to play in playoffs
Amaya (ankle) rejoined the Cubs following the end of the minor-league season and is considered healthy and available to play, but Chicago has no current plans to activate him for their playoff run, MLB.com reports.
Amaya missed two and a half months earlier in the season while recovering from a left oblique strain, then landed back on the injured list in mid-August after spraining his left ankle in his first game back in action with the Cubs. The 26-year-old backstop was able to play in four rehab games with Triple-A Iowa before the minor-league concluded, but Chicago didn't activate him from the IL until after the regular season ended. Amaya is seemingly fully healed from the ankle injury, but unless the Cubs lose one of Carson Kelly or Reese McGuire at any point during the playoffs, Amaya doesn't look as though he'll play again in 2025.
-
Alejandro Kirk C | TOR
Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk: Powers Jays to Game 1 win
Kirk went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs during Saturday's 10-1 win over the Yankees in Game 1 of the ALDS.
Kirk sent a Luis Gil offering 392 feet into left field to give the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead in the second inning, and he provided some insurance by taking Paul Blackburn deep to lead off the eighth. The 26-year-old backstop finished the regular season with a career-high 15 homers and has now slugged five home runs across his last three contests.
-
Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Out of Game 1 lineup
Smith (hand) isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Phillies, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Smith said before Saturday's contest that his fractured right hand is feeling better, and he's expected to return behind the plate at some point in the NLDS, but the Dodgers will keep him out of the starting nine for at least one more game. Ben Rortvedt will catch for starter Shohei Ohtani while Smith rests.