Cincinnati Reds catcher Luke Maile has agreed to a one-year extension with the club that includes a club option for the 2025 season. The veteran backup got into 78 games with the Reds in his first season in Cincinnati in 2023 and hit .235 with six home runs, two stolen bases, and a .699 OPS across 199 plate appearances, palatable numbers for a backup catcher who graded out well defensively behind the plate. The 32-year-old has appeared in 385 career big-league contests and has hit .212 with 19 HR, six SB, and a .603 OPS across 1,096 plate appearances between the Rays, Blue Jays, Brewers, Guardians, and Reds.

The Cincinnati Reds have signed catcher Luke Maile to a one-year deal, per a tweet from the National League Central franchise on Tuesday. The 31-year-old hit .221 with a .301 on-base percentage and three home runs in 206 plate appearances for the Cleveland Guardians in the 2022 season, appearing in 76 games in the process. He'll give the Reds a veteran backstop to utilize alongside starter Tyler Stephenson during the 2023 campaign.

Cleveland Guardians catcher Luke Maile (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment on Friday with Triple-A Columbus. Maile started the season on the injured list with a hamstring injury but shouldn't be out for much longer, barring a setback on his rehab assignment. The 31-year-old veteran backstop should serve as the backup to Austin Hedges once he's healthy enough to return to the big leagues. Bryan Lavastida is currently backing up Hedges with Maile on the injured list. Maile didn't play at all in 2020 and saw action in just 15 major league games last year for the Milwaukee Brewers, going 9-for-30 with no home runs and three RBI. He has 10 career homers in six major league seasons.

Cleveland Guardians catcher Luke Maile has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain and will miss three to four weeks of game action, according to Mandy Bell of MLB.com. The veteran backstop joined the team with a chance to compete for a roster spot, but this injury represents a major obstacle. Now, the 31-year-old will have to recover from the hamstring strain and will not be ready for Opening Day. Through 15 games with the Brewers last season, he accumulated a .300/.382/.433 slash line, three RBI, three walks, and seven strikeouts.

The Cleveland Guardians agreed to a minor league deal with free-agent catcher Luke Maile on Saturday that will pay him $900,000 if he's in the major leagues. Maile hit .300/.382/.433 with no home runs and three RBI in just 34 plate appearances over 15 games for the Milwaukee Brewers, and he hasn't done much with the bat in parts of six major league seasons with the Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays. The 31-year-old backstop has a career .203/.258/.310 slash line with 10 home runs and 63 RBI in 691 plate appearances over 230 games. Maile will be serving as catching depth for the Guardians alongside Austin Hedges in 2022.

A team-by-team look at the National League Central entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad: ___ Chicago Cubs Manager: David Ross (second season). 2020: 34-26, first place, lost to Marlins in first round of playoffs. Training Town: Mesa, Arizona. Park: Sloan Park. First Workout: Feb. 17/22. He’s Here: OF Joc Pederson, RHP Zach Davies, RHP Trevor Williams, RHP Kohl Stewart, C Austin Romine, OF Jake Marisnick (deal pending), OF Phillip Ervin, RHP Jonathan Holder, RHP Robert Stock, INF Sergio Alcántara. He’s Outta Here: RHP Yu Darvish, OF Kyle Schwarber, LHP Jon Lester, LHP José Quintana, OF Albert Almora, Jr., C Victor Caratini, 2B Jason Kipnis, RHP Tyler Chatwood, RHP Jeremy Jeffress, OF Cameron Maybin, OF Billy Hamilton, OF José Martínez. Going campin’: Ross was impressive in his first year as manager, guiding Chicago to the NL Central title during the pandemic-shortened season.... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League Central entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad: ___ Chicago Cubs Manager: David Ross (second season). 2020: 34-26, first place, lost to Marlins in first round of playoffs. Training Town: Mesa, Arizona. Park: Sloan Park. First Workout: Feb. 17/22. He’s Here: OF Joc Pederson, RHP Zach Davies, RHP Trevor Williams, RHP Kohl Stewart, C Austin Romine, OF Jake Marisnick (deal pending), OF Phillip Ervin, RHP Jonathan Holder, RHP Robert Stock, INF Sergio Alcántara. He’s Outta Here: RHP Yu Darvish, OF Kyle Schwarber, LHP Jon Lester, LHP José Quintana, OF Albert Almora, Jr., C Victor Caratini, 2B Jason Kipnis, RHP Tyler Chatwood, RHP Jeremy Jeffress, OF Cameron Maybin, OF Billy Hamilton, OF José Martínez. Going campin’: Ross was impressive in his first year as manager, guiding Chicago to the NL Central title during the pandemic-shortened season.... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League Central entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad: ___ Chicago Cubs Manager: David Ross (second season). 2020: 34-26, first place, lost to Marlins in first round of playoffs. Training Town: Mesa, Arizona. Park: Sloan Park. First Workout: Feb. 17/22. He’s Here: OF Joc Pederson, RHP Zach Davies, RHP Trevor Williams, RHP Kohl Stewart, C Austin Romine, OF Phillip Ervin, RHP Jonathan Holder, RHP Robert Stock, INF Sergio Alcántara. He’s Outta Here: RHP Yu Darvish, OF Kyle Schwarber, LHP Jon Lester, LHP José Quintana, OF Albert Almora, Jr., C Victor Caratini, 2B Jason Kipnis, RHP Tyler Chatwood, RHP Jeremy Jeffress, OF Cameron Maybin, OF Billy Hamilton, OF José Martínez. Going campin’: Ross was impressive in his first year as manager, guiding Chicago to the NL Central title during the pandemic-shortened season. But it doesn’t get any easier... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Free agent catcher Luke Maile and the Milwaukee Brewers finalized a one-year contract Tuesday that pays an $825,000 salary while in the major leagues and a $275,000 salary in the minors. The 29-year-old can earn $75,000 in performance bonuses in the majors for games played: $25,000 each for 65, 85 and 105 games. Maile signed with Pittsburgh last Dec. 16 but never played in a game during the pandemic-shortened season. He broke his right index finger when hit by a pitch from Geoff Hartlieb during an intrasquad game on July 16, was operated on the next day by Dr. Ed Birdsong and spent the season on the injured list. Maile made $333,333 in prorated pay from his $900,000 major league salary. He has a .198 batting average with 10 homers and 60 RBIs in 215 games for Tampa Bay (2015-16) and Toronto (2017-19). ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers traded reliever Corey Knebel to the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday for a player to be named or cash. The Brewers also announced they did not offer 2021 contracts to left-hander Alex Claudio, outfielder Ben Gamel and utilityman Jace Peterson. The team reached one-year deals with shortstop Orlando Arcia ($2 million), first baseman Daniel Vogelbach ($1.4 million) and catchers Omar Narváez ($2.5 million) and Manny Piña ($1.65 million). In another move, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press the Brewers agreed to terms on a major league contract with catcher Luke Maile. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the deal had not been announced. Milwaukee faced a Wednesday night deadline on whether to tender Knebel a contract for next year. Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said the deal with the Dodgers was completed before that deadline. The 29-year-old Knebel was an... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers acquired reliever Corey Knebel from the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday for a player to be named or cash. Milwaukee had been facing a Wednesday night deadline on whether to offer Knebel a 2021 contract. Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said the deal was completed before that deadline. The 29-year-old Knebel was an All-Star in 2017 and a key part of the Brewers' bullpen during their run to the 2018 NL Championship Series. The right-hander missed the 2019 season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow and struggled after returning last season. “Corey had a tremendous career as a Brewer,” Stearns said. “He pitched in some of the biggest games in the history of this franchise, and he pitched incredibly well in those games. ... Corey's meant a lot to this franchise. He's earned the respect of a lot of people around the Brewers, and we wish him very well." Knebel's best season came in 2017,... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers acquired reliever Corey Knebel from the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday for a player to be named or cash. Milwaukee had been facing a Wednesday night deadline on whether to offer Knebel a 2021 contract. Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said the deal was completed before that deadline. The 29-year-old Knebel was an All-Star in 2017 and a key part of the Brewers' bullpen during their run to the 2018 NL Championship Series. The right-hander missed the 2019 season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow and struggled after returning last season. “Corey had a tremendous career as a Brewer,” Stearns said. “He pitched in some of the biggest games in the history of this franchise, and he pitched incredibly well in those games. ... Corey's meant a lot to this franchise. He's earned the respect of a lot of people around the Brewers, and we wish him very well." Knebel's best season came in 2017,... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers are taking a step to shore up their catching situation after getting little production from that position last season. The Brewers have agreed to terms on a major league contract with Luke Maile, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the deal has not been announced. Maile, who was with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season, missed the entire abbreviated season due to a fractured right index finger. The 29-year-old played for Tampa Bay from 2015-16 and Toronto from 2017-19. He is well regarded for his defense and has a career batting average of .198 with 10 homers and 60 RBIs in 215 games. The Brewers struggled to get much from their catchers last season. Omar Narváez was coming off a 22-homer season when the Brewers acquired him from Seattle in December 2019, but he batted just .176 with two homers and 10 RBIs over 40 games with Milwaukee. Manny Piña batted .231 with two homers and five RBIs in 15 games before season-ending knee surgery. Jacob Nottingham hit .188 with four homers and 13 RBIs in 20 games. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports