The Chicago White Sox have reportedly agreed to a one-year deal plus an option with veteran free-agent catcher Martin Maldonado. The team has not confirmed the deal. Known for his defensive prowess and pitching management, the 37-year-old spent the last six seasons with the Astros and owns a career .207/.282/.349 slash line over 13 seasons. Maldonado worked with White Sox manager Pedro Grifol in Kansas City during the 2019 season and will now come in to help manage a young pitching staff. While this move should help the White Sox this season, Maldonado's lack of offensive production gives him little relevancy in fantasy.

Free-agent veteran catcher Martin Maldonado is drawing interest from the Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, Miami Marlins, and Chicago White Sox, per the Athletic's Chandler Rome. The 37-year-old spent the last four full seasons with the Astros. However, the team reportedly signed Victor Caratini Tuesday, which would suggest there will not be a reunion for the Astros and Maldonado. Known for his defense and pitcher management, Maldonado slashed .191/.258/.348 with 15 home runs and 36 RBI in 407 plate appearances in 2023. His skill set will likely land him a backup role with a new team, but it does not lend itself to fantasy.

Free-agent catcher Martin Maldonado is reportedly getting interest from multiple teams. The 37-year-old already has 4 or 5 teams looking at him and the offseason just started. It's worth noting that the Astros have already said they plan to bring back Maldonado. However, the veteran backstop does have plenty of options if he decides to head elsewhere. Last season, Maldonado hit .191/.258/.348 with 15 homers and 36 RBI over 407 plate appearances. He struggles at the plate, but is one of the best defensive catchers in the league. His defense and ability to call a game behind the plate make him extremely valuable despite his struggles at the plate. The veteran catcher should have no problem finding a team this offseason.

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado is on the bench to start Monday's game against Patrick Sandoval and the Los Angeles Angels. The veteran continues to be a quality defender and leader behind the plate but is struggling on the offensive side of the ball so far this season. The glove-first backstop is hitting just .171 with one home run and a .496 OPS across 87 trips to the plate while striking out in 27.6% of them. He's picked it up a little bit over his last five games as he's collected five hits with a double in that time but also went hitless in his previous eight contests. Yainer Diaz will catch and bat eighth against Sandoval Monday night in Los Angeles.

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado is doing the catching and is hitting ninth in Game 5 of the World Series on Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies and right-hander Noah Syndergaard. Maldonado got to rest on Wednesday in Game 4 with Christian Vazquez getting the start behind the dish. The 36-year-old veteran Puerto Rican backstop is more known for his work defensively, and he's hitting .217 (5-for-23) with a double, two RBI, two runs scored, two walks and 10 strikeouts in nine games this postseason. In his three starts in the World Series, Maldonado has gone 2-for-9 with an RBI and three strikeouts.

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado and outfielder/designated hitter Trey Mancini will start Game 4 of the World Series on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies on the bench. Christian Vazquez will do the catching and hit seventh, while Yordan Alvarez is serving as the designated hitter and batting third against Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola. Maldonado started the first three games of the World Series and went 2-for-9 with an RBI and three strikeouts at the plate. He has five hits in 23 at-bats with two RBI and two runs scored in nine playoff games this year. Mancini has only appeared in six games this postseason and is without a hit in 17 at-bats with six strikeouts. He has really struggled in Houston since being acquired from the Orioles in August.

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado will catch Justin Verlander in Game 1 of the World Series. Maldonado has taken the reigns as the team's go-to option behind the dish, starting all but one playoff game. That one game was Cristian Javier's only start of the postseason, so should he start a game in this series it will be interesting to see who Dusty Baker goes with behind the plate. Maldonado hasn't been anything special with the bat these playoffs, posting a .214/.353/.286 slash line, but he has done a terrific job handling the Astros pitching staff. With Maldonado starting, Christian Vazquez will start on the bench, but could be used as a pinch-hitter late in the game.

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado is not in the starting lineup for Game 1 of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees on Thursday to kick off the second half of the season. Fantasy managers shouldn't have expected Maldonado to catch both games of the twin bill to begin with. The 35-year-old veteran backstop hit nine home runs and drove in 26 runs in the first half of the season, but it came with a slash line of just .167/.235/.333 in 210 at-bats. Maldonado remains a glove-first player. Rookie Korey Lee will get the start behind the dish and is batting ninth against Yankees left-hander Jordan Montgomery. Lee will be playing in just his eighth big-league game. He's gone 3-for-12 with a double and three strikeouts so far.

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado is taking the day off on Sunday against the Miami Marlins. Maldonado will get a breather in the series finale. The 35-year-old veteran backstop has been better so far in the month of June, but he's hitting a pathetic .153/.225/.277 with four home runs, 13 RBI and 17 runs scored in 153 plate appearances over 44 games for the Astros in 2022. Jason Castro will handle the catching duties on Sunday and is hitting eighth against Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera. Believe it or not, Castro has been even worse than Maldonado at the plate in 55 at-bats this season, as he has just five hits, one RBI and no home runs on the year.

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado (shoulder) left Wednesday's game with left shoulder soreness, according to the team. Maldonado made an incredible diving play and landed hard on his shoulder during the fourth inning, surely contributing to the injury. Maldonado stayed in the game before being replaced by catcher Jason Castro during the top of the sixth inning. Maldonado should be considered day-to-day, with Castro as the likely replacement, in case the 35-year-old misses time.

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado will carry a three-game hitting streak into the team's matchup against the Angels Tuesday night. Maldonado went 2-for-5 with a home run and three runs batted in Monday and is slugging .421 over his last seven starts. The defensive-minded catcher has been very subpar from the offensive side of things this season and is slashing only .176/.277/.303 through 303 at-bats.

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado is 10-for-80 (.125) over his last 30 games heading into Tuesday's matchup against the Rangers. Maldonado is known as a defensive-first player but his offensive ineptitude is at new levels currently. He has only one extra-base hit since August 27 and is posting an unsightly .569 OPS through 334 at-bats this season. Maldonado is not a fantasy option and is losing playing time to teammate Jason Castro.

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado went 1-for-3 with one home run in the team's 6-5 win over the Royals on Wednesday. Maldonado smacked his 10th home run of the season in the third inning off the Royals left-handed starter Mike Minor and now is only four homers short of his career high. Maldonado is not known for his offense but is slugging .435 against left-handed pitching this season.

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado is 2-for-23 over his last nine starts heading into the team's weekend series against the Mariners in Houston. The veteran backstop has driven in only one run in the month of August and is known mostly for his defense. Maldonado has flashed some power against left-handed pitching (.402 slugging percentage through 87 at-bats) this season but is posting a dismal .503 OPS at Minute Maid Park. Maldonado is not a fantasy option at this time.

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado is hitting .167 over his last 24 at-bats heading into this weekend's action. The defensive-minded backstop is not known for his offense but does occasionally flash some power. Not as of late, unfortunately, as the veteran is slugging only .348 over his last 30 games. The Astros deploy a potent offensive lineup but Maldonado cannot be considered a fantasy asset at this time.

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado will start and bat eighth Friday against the Giants. Maldonado is not known for his offense but has enjoyed success over his last seven starts, going 6-for-19 (.316) with one home run, four runs scored, four runs batted in and five walks during that span. The defensive-minded backstop can occasionally put a charge into the baseball but fantasy teams cannot expect much from him down the stretch.

NEW YORK (AP) — Austin Riley hit a grand slam and a two-run homer to set a career high with six RBIs, powering the Atlanta Braves to a 12-5 rout of the New York Mets on Tuesday night. Ozzie Albies and Abraham Almonte also had two-run homers for the Braves, who have won two of the first three in a five-game series as they chase the first-place Mets in the NL East. Dansby Swanson delivered a two-run double in the first inning to get Atlanta started. Charlie Morton (10-3) allowed three runs and five hits with five strikeouts over five innings. Mets spot starter Jerad Eickhoff (0-2) gave up 10 runs on seven hits and five walks in 3 1/3 innings. Jeff McNeil and Brandon Drury each hit a two-run homer for the Mets after they trailed 10-1 in the fourth. GIANTS 2, DODGERS 1 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Buster Posey scored the tiebreaking run on a throwing error by first baseman Cody Bellinger in the eighth inning, and San Francisco beat Los Angeles, increasing its lead over the Dodgers in the NL West to... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Rafael Devers hit a three-run homer in the first inning off Michael King, Marwin González added a two-run double and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 5-2 Friday night in the first of the rivals’ 19 meetings this season. Former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi (7-2) won his third straight start, and the Red Sox stopped their 11-game losing streak in the Bronx, winning at Yankee Stadium for the first time since June 2, 2019. New York lost for the eighth time in 11 games. Yankees hitters struck out 15 times. Matt Barnes picked up his 13th save in 14 chances. Aaron Judge hit his 14th homer in the sixth. King (0-3), replacing injured Corey Kluber in New York’s rotation, gave up four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. BREWERS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 1 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Freddy Peralta carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning on his 25th birthday and Milwaukee defeated Arizona. Peralta, Brad Boxberger and Trevor Richards combined on a one-hitter. Peralta (6-1) struck out nine, walked... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Rafael Devers hit a three-run homer in the first inning off Michael King, Marwin González added a two-run double and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 5-2 Friday night in the first of the rivals’ 19 meetings this season. Former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi (7-2) won his third straight start, and the Red Sox stopped their 11-game losing streak in the Bronx, winning at Yankee Stadium for the first time since June 2, 2019. New York lost for the eighth time in 11 games. Yankees hitters struck out 15 times. Matt Barnes picked up his 13th save in 14 chances. Aaron Judge hit his 14th homer in the sixth. King (0-3), replacing injured Corey Kluber in New York’s rotation, gave up four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. BREWERS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 1 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Freddy Peralta carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning on his 25th birthday and Milwaukee defeated Arizona. Peralta, Brad Boxberger and Trevor Richards combined on a one-hitter. Peralta (6-1) struck out nine, walked... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Rafael Devers hit a three-run homer in the first inning off Michael King, Marwin González added a two-run double and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 5-2 Friday night in the first of the rivals’ 19 meetings this season. Former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi (7-2) won his third straight start, and the Red Sox stopped their 11-game losing streak in the Bronx, winning at Yankee Stadium for the first time since June 2, 2019. New York lost for the eighth time in 11 games. Yankees hitters struck out 15 times. Matt Barnes picked up his 13th save in 14 chances. Aaron Judge hit his 14th homer in the sixth. King (0-3), replacing injured Corey Kluber in New York’s rotation, gave up four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. BREWERS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 1 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Freddy Peralta carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning on his 25th birthday and Milwaukee defeated Arizona. Peralta, Brad Boxberger and Trevor Richards combined on a one-hitter. Peralta (6-1) struck out nine, walked... [More]