Lucroy announced Tuesday that he has retired from professional baseball, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
The 36-year-old catcher has been a free agent since last July and bounced around several organizations with limited success over the past few seasons, so his decision to step away from the game comes as little surprise. He'll officially sign his retirement papers Saturday and enter Milwaukee's Wall of Honor after he made both of his two career All-Star Game appearances as a member of the Brewers. His 11-year big-league career also included stops with the Rangers, Rockies, Athletics, Angels, Cubs, Nationals and White Sox, with Lucroy retiring with a lifetime .274 average, 108 home runs and 30 stolen bases over 1,209 games.
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Jonathan Lucroy: Rejects outright assignment
Rotowire
Lucroy rejected an outright assignment to Triple-A Gwinnett and is now a free agent, Andersen Pickard of MLBDailyDish.com reports.
Lucroy lost out on a 40-man roster spot when Atlanta acquired Stephen Vogt. Now 35, Lucroy hit .316/.409/.368 across 23 plate appearances in the majors this season. He isn't likely to be signed by another club as a primary starter but could be a stable backup for a contending team.
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Braves' Jonathan Lucroy: Outrighted to minors
Rotowire
Atlanta outrighted Lucroy to Triple-A Gwinnett after he cleared waivers Wednesday.
Lucroy was up with the big club for about a week and a half before losing his spot on the 40-man roster when Atlanta acquired Stephen Vogt from the Diamondbacks. The veteran backstop will head to Triple-A Gwinnett for now, though it wouldn't be surprising if he eventually requested his release in pursuit of an opportunity with another organization.
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Braves' Jonathan Lucroy: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Lucroy was designated for assignment by Atlanta on Saturday.
Lucroy's contract was selected in early July, but he appeared in just two games, going 1-for-5 at the plate. He's no longer needed as a catching option after Atlanta acquired Stephen Vogt from Arizona on Friday.
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Braves' Jonathan Lucroy: Back in big leagues with Atlanta
Rotowire
Lucroy's contract was selected by Atlanta prior to Tuesday's game against the Pirates.
Lucroy inked a minor-league deal with Atlanta in mid-May after he was released by the Nationals in April. The veteran backstop slashed a relatively pedestrian .220/.351/.330 across 31 games with Triple-A Gwinnett, but he'll still return to the big leagues with the scuffling William Contreras getting sent to Gwinnett in a corresponding roster move. Lucroy is starting Wednesday's game against the Pirates behind the dish and he figures to share the catching duties with Kevan Smith going forward. Pitcher Grant Dayton (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day IL to make room for Lucroy on the 40-man roster.
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Braves' Jonathan Lucroy: Signs with Atlanta
Rotowire
Lucroy signed a minor-league contract with Atlanta on Friday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Lucroy has bounced around a ton, going from the Red Sox to the Phillies to the White Sox to the Nationals just within the past year. Atlanta is desperate for catching depth with Travis d'Arnaud (thumb) and Alex Jackson (hamstring) both out, and it will be the latest club to add the veteran. He could get a look fairly soon, but it's been five years since Lucroy was a fantasy factor and the odds are against him becoming one again at 34 years old.
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Jonathan Lucroy: Elects free agency
Rotowire
Lucroy cleared waivers Thursday and has elected free agency, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
Lucroy was designated for assignment by the Nationals on Monday, but he was unable to find another spot on a 40-man roster. Rather than serving as organizational depth for the Nationals, the 34-year-old will be free to sign with another team at some point in 2021. Lucroy appeared in five games for Washington this year and went 5-for-14 with a double and two RBI.
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Nationals' Jonathan Lucroy: Booted from 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Nationals designated Lucroy for assignment Monday.
Lucroy stuck around with the Nationals for a few days as a third catcher after Yan Gomes and Alex Avila were both activated from the COVID-19 injured list Friday, but he became expendable when Washington reinstated three more players from the list Monday. Unless another team opts to put in a claim for Lucroy, he'll likely head to the Nationals' alternate site upon clearing waivers.
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Nationals' Jonathan Lucroy: Takes seat for nightcap
Rotowire
Lucroy isn't starting the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader against Atlanta.
Lucroy went 1-for-3 with a strikeout in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader. However, Tres Barrera will take his place behind the dish for the nightcap, batting eighth.
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Nationals' Jonathan Lucroy: Catching in season opener
Rotowire
Lucroy will catch for the Nationals and bat eighth in Tuesday's season opener versus Atlanta, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
Lucroy and Tres Barrera were both promoted to the 26-man roster Tuesday after the top two catchers on the depth chart -- Yan Gomes and Alex Avila -- were placed on the COVID-19 injured list. With Gomes and Avila both expected to remain in quarantine for at least a week while they wait to clear the COVID-19 health and safety protocols, Lucroy looks poised to serve as the Nationals' top catcher to begin the season. The two-time All-Star has drawn positive reviews in the past for his skills as a pitch framer, but he hasn't finished with an OPS over .700 in any season since 2017.
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Nationals' Jonathan Lucroy: Earns roster spot
Rotowire
Lucroy has made the Nationals' Opening Day roster.
Lucroy joined the team on a minor-league deal Saturday but will be needed right away due to the team's COVID-19 outbreak. Neither Yan Gomes nor Alex Avila made the roster, both presumably due to the league's health and safety protocols. Lucroy may be in position to start the first game of the year just three days after joining his new team, though the nod could also go to Tres Barrera.
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Nationals' Jonathan Lucroy: Could start Tuesday
Rotowire
Lucroy will likely be behind the plate Tuesday if he gets cleared through the league's COVID-19 protocols in time, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
Neither Yan Gomes nor Alex Avila took part in the team's on-field workout Monday, suggesting that both catchers are among the 11 Nationals currently being quarantined. Lucroy, who was signed Saturday, would give the club a more experienced option behind the plate than Tres Barrera or Raudy Read, but his stint on the roster could be a brief one if Gomes and Avila were merely close contacts of the four players who tested positive.
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Nationals' Jonathan Lucroy: Latches on with Nationals
Rotowire
Lucroy signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals on Saturday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
The 34-year-old was let go by the White Sox this week despite posting a .333/.478/.389 slash line during spring training, and it didn't take long for him to find a new team. Lucroy is expected to join the big-league roster within a few days as the team has multiple players sidelined due to COVID-19 and contact tracing.
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Jonathan Lucroy: Cut loose by Pale Hose
Rotowire
The White Sox released Lucroy on Monday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Lucroy's .333/.478/.389 slash line this spring wasn't enough for him to beat out Zack Collins or Yermin Mercedes for Chicago's No. 2 catcher job, but the veteran could generate interest from other organizations looking for experienced depth behind the plate. The 34-year-old last appeared in the majors in 2019 with the Angels and Cubs, posting a .660 OPS over 328 plate appearances.
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White Sox's Jonathan Lucroy: Signs minor-league contract
Rotowire
Lucroy signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox on Thursday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
Lucroy spent most of the 2020 season with the Red Sox, but he didn't log any plate appearances in the majors. The veteran backstop could compete for a backup role on the major-league roster during spring training.
Lucroy signed a minor-league contract with the Phillies on Tuesday and was added to the 60-player pool, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
The veteran backstop was released by the Red Sox earlier in the day, and it was only a matter of hours before he linked up with a new team. Lucroy hasn't seen game action in 2020, but the Phillies are in need of catching depth with J.T. Realmuto battling a hip injury.
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Jonathan Lucroy: Released by Red Sox
Rotowire
Lucroy was released by the Red Sox on Tuesday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
Lucroy was working at the alternate training site in Pawtucket after being designated for assignment by the Red Sox at the beginning of August. However, he'll now hit free agency after his removal from the 60-man pool.
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Red Sox's Jonathan Lucroy: Clears waivers
Rotowire
Lucroy cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Red Sox's alternate training site Friday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
The veteran catcher was designated for assignment earlier in the week but will remain in the organization after going unclaimed on waivers. Lucroy did not appear in a game during the first week of the season but will continue to provide catching depth in the 60-player pool.
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Red Sox's Jonathan Lucroy: Cast off 40-man, active rosters
Rotowire
The Red Sox intend to remove Lucroy from their 40-man and active 30-man rosters prior to Wednesday's game against the Mets, Chad Jennings and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report.
The transaction hasn't been announced, but Lucroy will likely be designated for assignment or given his outright release as the Red Sox look to clear room on the roster for pitcher Chris Mazza. Though Lucroy broke summer camp with the big club, he was the clear No. 3 catcher behind Christian Vazquez and Kevin Plawecki and appeared in just one of Boston's first five contests.
