Lavarnway announced Wednesday in a personal essay posted on The Athletic that he has retired from professional baseball.
The 35-year-old catcher will bring a close to his career after most recently competing for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic. A 2008 sixth-round draft pick out of Yale, Lavarnway saw big-league action in parts of 10 of his 15 seasons in the professional ranks. He retires with a lifetime .217/.272/.345 slash line and nine home runs over 165 career games with Boston, Atlanta, Baltimore, Oakland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Miami and Cleveland.
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Marlins' Ryan Lavarnway: Traded to Miami
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Lavarnway was acquired by the Marlins from the Tigers on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Lavarnway missed out on Detroit's Opening Day roster and will now join Miami, where he appeared in five major-league games during 2020. The 34-year-old should provide catching depth at the Triple-A level, where he has a .281/.385/.459 slash line in 44 games this year.
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Tigers' Ryan Lavarnway: Won't make Opening Day roster
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The Tigers informed Lavarnway on Monday that he won't be included on the Opening Day roster, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
Lavarnway will remain a participant in big-league camp for the next few days before joining Triple-A Toledo on Friday as the affiliate prepares for the start of the minor-league season. He'll likely be the No. 4 option on the Tigers' organization depth chart at catcher behind Tucker Barnhart, Eric Haase and Dustin Garneau.
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Tigers' Ryan Lavarnway: Joins Tigers
Rotowire
Lavarnway signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers on Monday that includes an invitation to big-league camp, Andersen Pickard of MLBDailyDish.com reports.
Lavarnway appeared in nine games for Cleveland in 2021 but spent most of the year at the Triple-A level, where he hit .260/.338/.520 with 13 homers in 49 contests. He'll likely serve as organizational catching depth for Detroit this season.
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Indians' Ryan Lavarnway: Designated for assignment
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Lavarnway was designated for assignment Tuesday, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Lavarnway had been serving as catching depth since early September. With Roberto Perez returning from a shoulder injury, he's no longer needed, so he'll be available for the rest of the league to claim off waivers. A 34-year-old with a career .217/.272/.345 slash line is unlikely to be of much interest to many teams, however.
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Indians' Ryan Lavarnway: Contract selected by Cleveland
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Lavarnway had his contract selected by Cleveland on Thursday and is starting at catcher at Kansas City.
Lavarnway has been at Triple-A Columbus since being designated for assignment in late June, and he'll rejoin the big-league club Thursday. The 34-year-old has seen major-league action in each of the past five years, though he hasn't played double-digit games since 2015.
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Indians' Ryan Lavarnway: Stays in organization
Rotowire
Cleveland outrighted Lavarnway to Triple-A Columbus on Monday.
The 33-year-old catcher remains in the organization after he went unclaimed off waivers over the weekend. Lavarnway was up with Cleveland for about a week while top backstop Austin Hedges recovered from a concussion.
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Indians' Ryan Lavarnway: Gets DFA'd
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Cleveland designated Lavarnway for assignment Thursday.
Lavarnway was with Cleveland for a week while No. 1 catcher Austin Hedges was on the injured list with a concussion. During his time with the big club, Lavarnway appeared in four games, going 3-for-11 with a double and a walk. As a 33-year-old journeyman backstop, Lavarnway isn't expected to attract much interest from other organizations, so he'll most likely report to Cleveland's Triple-A affiliate in Columbus once he clears waivers in the coming days.
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Indians' Ryan Lavarnway: Contract selected Thursday
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Lavarnway's contract was selected by Cleveland on Thursday, Mandy Bell of MLB.com
Lavarnway began the year with Triple-A Columbus and slashed .258/.313/.551 with seven home runs and 20 RBI in 25 games. He'll join the major-league club after Austin Hedges (concussion) was placed on the 7-day injured list Thursday, and he could split time with Rene Rivera at catcher in the near future.
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Indians' Ryan Lavarnway: Joins team's taxi squad
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Cleveland announced Tuesday that Lavarnway will be a part of its five-man taxi squad for its season-opening series in Detroit, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
Lavarnway missed out on a spot on the 26-man Opening Day roster, but his inclusion on the taxi squad signals that he's likely third in the organizational depth chart at catcher behind Roberto Perez and Austin Hedges. Cleveland would have to open up a spot on the 40-man roster in order for Lavarnway to join the big club at any point.
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Indians' Ryan Lavarnway: Joins Cleveland for camp
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Lavarnway signed a minor-league contract with Cleveland on Friday that includes an invite to spring training.
Lavarnway has spend his career as a depth catcher. He's gotten into at least five big-league games in nine of the last 10 seasons, but the last time he appeared in more than six contests was back in 2015. He'll presumably fill a similar role for Cleveland this season.
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Marlins' Ryan Lavarnway: Outrighted off 40-man
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Lavarnway cleared waivers and was outrighted to the alternate training site.
He will serve as organizational catching depth going forward. Lavarnway hit .364 with zero extra-base hits in 11 at-bats before being cast off the 40-man roster.
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Marlins' Ryan Lavarnway: DFA'd by Miami
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Lavarnaway was designated for assignment by the Marlins on Friday.
The 33-year-old joined the Marlins in early August following the team's COVID-19 outbreak, but he's no longer needed with Jorge Alfaro (illness) activated. Lavarnaway appeared in five games and went 4-for-11 during his time with the team.
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Marlins' Ryan Lavarnway: Promoted before Tuesday's game
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Lavarnway had his contract selected by the Marlins before Tuesday's game, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.
Lavarnway will serve as Francisco Cervelli's backup behind the plate while Jorge Alfaro is out. Lavarnway is with his seventh big-league organization, having spent the first four years of his career with the Red Sox, followed in order by the Braves, Orioles, A's, Pirates and last year with the Reds.
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Marlins' Ryan Lavarnway: Slated to join major-league roster
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Lavarnway will be called up by the Marlins ahead of Tuesday's game against the Orioles, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.
As the Marlins continue to deal with a COVID-19 outbreak, Lavarnway should serve as a third catcher while Jorge Alfaro (illness) recovers. The 32-year-old has appeared in just 17 games in the majors over the past three seasons, and it's unclear how much playing time he'll get behind the dish with the Marlins.
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Marlins' Ryan Lavarnway: Invited to summer camp
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Lavarnway is part of the Marlins' 60-man player pool, Craig Mish of SportsGrid.com reports.
He is at best fourth on the depth chart among the six catchers the Marlins invited to summer camp, and is therefore unlikely to see significant playing time in the majors this season.
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Marlins' Ryan Lavarnway: Invited to Marlins camp
Rotowire
Lavarnway signed with the Marlins as a non-roster invitee Wednesday.
The veteran backstop has spent time in the big leagues in each of the last eight seasons, though he's only appeared in 151 total games and hasn't played in more than six in any of the last three years. He's unlikely to serve as anything more than organizational depth in Miami this season.
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Indians' Ryan Lavarnway: Inks deal with Indians
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Lavarnaway signed a contract with the Indians on Friday.
Lavarnaway was released by the Reds on Thursday, but it didn't take long for him to find a new team. The 32-year-old has a .216/.330/.365 slash line over 48 games in Triple-A, and he'll begin at that level with his new organization.
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Reds' Ryan Lavarnway: Clears waivers
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Lavarnway cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday.
Lavarnway filled in capably when called on as an organizational depth option over the last two weeks, grabbing a pair of homers in five games. He'll remain in that role going forward, a job that probably suits him best as he owns a poor .211/.270/.343 slash line over parts of eight big-league seasons.
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Reds' Ryan Lavarnway: Gets DFA'd
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The Reds designated Lavarnway for assignment Sunday, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Lavarnway went 5-for-18 while appearing in five games during his abbreviated time with the Reds, with nearly all of his offensive production coming in a two-homer, six-RBI effort in his club debut July 19. Since fellow backstop Kyle Farmer (concussion) is healthy again and the Reds needed to open up a 40-man roster spot for their starting pitcher for Sunday's game against the Rockies (Alex Wood), Lavarnway was deemed an expendable piece.
