As first reported by Jon Heyman, the Cubs have signed catcher Christian Bethancourt to a minor league deal that will pay him $1.6 million if he makes the team. The 34-year-old's last big league action came with the Cubs in 2024, when he slashed .281/.305/.509 with a 125 wRC+ over 59 plate appearances over the last two months of the season.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic) today that catcher had undergone additional scans following his placement on the injured list last week, and that testing revealed a hairline fracture in Smith's injured hand. The news makes it "doubtful," in Roberts's words, that he'll play again during the regular season this year. More concerning is that whether or not Smith will be available for the start of the playoffs remains "up in the air."
It was only a matter of hours before Sánchez found a new landing spot. The Mets placed Francisco Alvarez on the injured list this week. He's dealing with a thumb injury that'll require surgery at some point, though he and the team are holding out hope that can be delayed until the offseason. That leaves them with a catching duo of Luis Torrens and Hayden Senger.
