Marlins' Christian Bethancourt: Activated from injured list
Rotowire
The Marlins activated Bethancourt (illness) from the 10-day injured list Wednesday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Bethancourt wound up missing the minimum 10 days with a viral illness. He'll start behind the plate in Wednesday's game in Atlanta, batting ninth. Jhonny Pereda was sent down to Triple-A Jacksonville in a corresponding move.
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Marlins' Christian Bethancourt: Starts up rehab assignment
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Bethancourt (illness) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville on Friday and went 3-for-13 with a double and a stolen base across his first three games with the affiliate.
Bethancourt was placed on the 10-day IL on April 15 after coming down with a viral illness, but his ability to return to game action a few days later suggests that he's tracking toward a minimum-length stay on the shelf. Once Bethancourt is activated, he'll likely be part of a timeshare with Nick Fortes behind the plate.
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Marlins' Christian Bethancourt: Placed on 10-day IL
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The Marlins placed Bethancourt on the 10-day injured list Monday due to a viral illness, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Bethancourt missed Sunday's game against Atlanta due to the illness, and his placement on the IL suggests the Marlins weren't counting on him being available for their three-game series with the Giants to begin the week. Provided he's able to resume working out in the next few days, Bethancourt could be ready to return from the IL when first eligible April 24. In a corresponding move, the Marlins selected Jhonny Pereda's contract from Triple-A Jacksonville on Monday. Pereda will likely serve as the No. 2 catcher behind Nick Fortes while Bethancourt recovers from his illness.
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Marlins' Christian Bethancourt: Stays home
Rotowire
Bethancourt (illness) will not be at LoanDepot Park for Monday's game against the Giants, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
Bethancourt was unavailable Sunday and was told to stay home Monday as he continues to battle an illness. He's day-to-day. Nick Fortes is the only other catcher on the Marlins' active roster and he will be behind the plate Monday.
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Marlins' Christian Bethancourt: Battling illness
Rotowire
Bethancourt was unavailable Sunday due to illness, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
There's been a bug going around the Marlins' clubhouse, with Tim Anderson and A.J. Puk also being affected. It's not clear yet whether Bethancourt will be available to play Monday. If he's not, Nick Fortes will catch.
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Marlins' Christian Bethancourt: On bench Sunday
Rotowire
Bethancourt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
Bethancourt will head to the bench for the series finale as he remains part of a wholly unproductive timeshare behind the plate with Nick Fortes, who gets the starting nod Sunday. Neither backstop has cemented himself as the clear top option in Miami, as Bethancourt has reached base in just one of his first 23 plate appearances of the season, while Fortes has mustered a .266 OPS in 24 plate appearances.
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Marlins' Christian Bethancourt: Takes seat Wednesday
Rotowire
Bethancourt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
Bethancourt and Nick Fortes have both alternated turns at catcher over the last six games, with both logging three starts apiece. For the season, Bethancourt owns an .050 OPS to Fortes' .229, so neither backstop is doing much to separate himself from the other in the competition for reps behind the plate.
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Marlins' Christian Bethancourt: Sitting Saturday
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Bethancourt isn't in the Marlins' lineup Saturday against the Cardinals.
Bethancourt went 0-for-3 in Thursday's series opener and remains hitless through 13 plate appearances to begin the season. Nick Fortes will get the nod behind the dish instead and bat ninth.
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Marlins' Christian Bethancourt: Behind plate Friday
Rotowire
Bethancourt is starting at catcher and batting ninth in Friday's game versus the Pirates, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Nick Fortes started at catcher on Opening Day, but it will be Bethancourt behind the dish Friday with A.J. Puk on the mound. It will likely be a fairly even split in playing time this season between the two, limiting the already low fantasy upside of each.
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Marlins' Christian Bethancourt: Quiet spring at plate
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Bethancourt went 0-for-3 in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.
The veteran catcher is expected to split work behind the plate with Nick Fortes this season for the Marlins, but Bethancourt has done little in camp to attract attention from fantasy GMs. He's batting .217 (5-for-23) through 10 games with a 1:7 BB:K, and a double stands as his only extra-base hit. Bethancourt has slugged exactly 11 homers each of the last two seasons, but his .239/.268/.395 slash line offers little appeal even as an endgame dart for those not wanting to invest heavily at catcher.
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Marlins' Christian Bethancourt: Gets $2.05 million
Rotowire
Bethancourt agreed to a one-year, $2.05 million contract with the Marlins on Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
The Marlins acquired Bethancourt from the Guardians in exchange for cash in December and they will pay for his services again to avoid an arbiter. The 32-year-old backstop had a .225/.254/.381 slash line with 11 home runs in 104 games for the Rays last year. He will split time with Nick Fortes in Miami this season.
Bethancourt was acquired by the Marlins from the Guardians on Sunday for cash considerations, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.
The 32-year-old was claimed off waivers by Cleveland in early November, but he's now being offloaded following the signing of Austin Hedges. Nick Fortes had a .562 OPS in 108 games for Miami last season and is the only other catcher currently on the big-league roster, which should give Bethancourt a decent path to playing time in 2024.
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Guardians' Christian Bethancourt: Catches on with Cleveland
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The Guardians claimed Bethancourt off waivers from the Rays on Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Bethancourt spent a large portion of the 2023 season as the Rays' No. 1 catcher and put up decent counting statistics over his 332 plate appearances (11 home runs, 49 runs, 33 RBI and one stolen base), but an ugly .225/.254/.381 slash line (74 wRC+) made his less useful at the plate from a real-life standpoint. Still, the 32-year-old graded out as a capable defender behind the dish and wasn't a complete zero with the bat, so he should at least make for a dependable backup option and short-side platoon mate in Cleveland for No. 1 backstop Bo Naylor.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Placed on waivers
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The Rays placed Bethancourt on outright waivers Saturday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Bethancourt will join five teammates on the waiver wire in an effort from the Rays to clear space on the 40-man roster. The 32-year-old backstop slashed .225/.254/.381 across 332 plate appearances in 2023 and could be picked up by another team in search of a backup catcher.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Out of lineup again Wednesday
Rotowire
Bethancourt is not in the lineup Wednesday for Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Rangers.
Bethancourt also began Game 1 on the bench, although he did enter at catcher late after Rene Pinto was lifted for a pinch hitter. The Rays began leaning toward Pinto over Bethancourt behind the plate in September and that has carried over into the playoffs.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Remains on bench
Rotowire
Bethancourt will sit for the second straight game Saturday against the Mariners, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Bethancourt has hit just .240/.264/.380 over the last month, striking out 21 times to go with just two walks. Rene Pinto will get another start behind the plate.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Sitting Friday
Rotowire
Bethancourt isn't in the Rays' lineup Friday against Seattle.
Bethancourt will take a seat Friday after going 0-for-7 with five strikeouts across his last three games. Rene Pinto will start behind the dish and bat ninth.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Sitting again Wednesday
Rotowire
Bethancourt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Bethancourt and Rene Pinto have alternated starts over the past 15 games, but Pinto will make his second straight start Wednesday against Boston. Bethancourt has a .226/.258/.375 slash line with nine home runs in 94 games this season and should continue to split time with Pinto down the stretch.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Cedes start to Pinto
Rotowire
Bethancourt is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Red Sox.
Bethancourt will retreat to the bench after he caught all nine innings of Monday's 7-3 loss in the series opener while striking out in each of his three plate appearances. Rene Pinto will get a turn behind the plate while he and Bethancourt continue to work in a near-even timeshare at catcher.
