MLB Player News

The Giants named Susac to their Opening Day roster Wednesday.

A Rule 5 Draft selection over the winter, Susac was able to beat out Jesus Rodriguez and non-roster invitee Eric Haase for the No. 2 catcher job during spring training. So long as top backstop Patrick Bailey is healthy, Susac will likely play sparingly, and the Giants will need to stash him on the major-league roster throughout the season, or else he'll have to be offered back to the Athletics. The 24-year-old showed some potential with the bat in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League last season with a .275/.350/.486 slash line to go with 18 home runs and seven stolen bases across 403 plate appearances, though he struck out at a 26.8 percent clip.

La Sorsa will remain in the Pittsburgh organization and will accept an assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis after going unclaimed off waivers Wednesday, Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston reports.

La Sorsa, who had attended Pirates camp on a minor-league deal, had an upward-mobility clause in his contract that allowed him to move on from the Pirates if another organization had claimed him off waivers and placed him on its Opening Day roster. However, after finding no suitors on the waiver wire, La Sorsa will stick around with the Pirates and likely serve as a high-leverage arm in the Indianapolis bullpen to begin the season.

The Phillies placed Kerkering (hamstring) on the 15-day injured list Wednesday.

Kerkering's move to the IL was a foregone conclusion after the righty reliever didn't make his Grapefruit League debut until last Friday while he recovered from a Grade 1 right hamstring strain. He was able to make another appearance Monday on the back fields of camp, but the Phillies presumably want to see the 24-year-old stack up a few more innings before clearing him to join the big-league bullpen. He'll likely be ready to start a rehab assignment when the minor-league season gets underway Friday, and he could be ready to return from the IL when first eligible April 7.

The Mets placed Minter (lat) on the 15-day injured list Wednesday.

Still on the mend from the left lat surgery he underwent May 12, 2025, Minter is expected to spend the next couple of weeks continuing his rehab program at the Mets' spring training facility in Florida, per MLB.com. The southpaw reliever has been facing hitters for the past few weeks, so he could get the green light to start a rehab assignment at Single-A St. Lucie shortly after the Florida State League season gets underway. Minter is expected to eventually move up to a higher-level affiliate as the final step before he makes his return from the IL.

The Mets designated Rortvedt for assignment Wednesday.

Rortvedt was never going to make the Mets' roster as long as Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens were healthy, and the team's top two catchers are ready to go for Thursday's opener. The 28-year-old Rortvedt has been claimed off waivers three times already this offseason and could make it four.

Encarnacion is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Even after an impressive spring in which he posted a .759 OPS in the Cactus League, the right-handed-hitting Encarnacion will be passed over for a spot in the GIants' season-opening lineup against Yankees southpaw Max Fried. The Giants will go with Casey Schmitt at first base in the opener, while Rafael Devers starts at designated hitter.

The Brewers placed Priester (wrist) on the 15-day injured list Wednesday.

Priester first developed right wrist soreness late last season and was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome after the discomfort cropped up again in Brewers camp. It's viewed as a relatively mild case of TOS and the hope is Priester is ready for his season debut around early May, but it's far from a guarantee he'll be ready by that time.

The Brewers placed Berroa (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list Wednesday.

Berroa was held out for the entirety of the Brewers' Cactus League schedule after developing a right shoulder strain early in camp. It's unclear where his rehab currently stands, but his absence is sure to last beyond the minimum 10 days.

The Phillies designated Stubbs for assignment Wednesday.

Stubbs lost out to Rafael Marchan for the Phillies' backup catcher job and is now without a spot on the 40-man roster. The 32-year-old has slashed only .215/.293/.310 in parts of seven big-league seasons, but catching depth is always a commodity so he could be scooped up on waivers.

The Rockies placed Freeman (back) on the 10-day injured list Wednesday.

Freeman is without a definitive timeline to return from the IL, though manager Warren Schaeffer doesn't believe the 26-year-old will require an extended stay on the shelf, per MLB.com. Once he's activated, Freeman is likely to serve as a super-utility player for Colorado.