Dodgers sign backup catcher Matt Treanor to one-year deal - MLB

UPDATE II: Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports that Treanor will make $850,000 next season while the contract includes a $950,000 club option for 2013 or a $150,000 buyout.

UPDATE: Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com says it’s a done deal. Treanor is expected to get around $1 million.

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Rod Barajas’ departure means the Dodgers are in the market for a veteran catcher to pair with A.J. Ellis and Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports that Matt Treanor is their top target.

At age 36 he certainly fits the veteran mold, but Treanor has bounced around to four teams in the past four seasons and is a career .225 hitter with a .623 OPS.

In other words he’s purely backup material, which is good news for Ellis’ chances of finally getting the extended opportunity his strong minor-league track record warrants. Los Angeles also has prospect Tim Federowicz waiting in the wings after acquiring him from Boston at midseason, but there are questions about whether he projects as more than a backup too.

HOUSTON – Yordan Alvarez hit a go-ahead three-run double in the seventh inning, and the Houston Astros rallied past the Chicago White Sox 6-3 on Friday night for their first win of the season.

Kyle Tucker hit a two-run homer in the sixth and made a spectacular catch at the wall in the seventh to rob Andrew Benintendi of extra bases and keep the World Series champion Astros within one run.

Eloy Jimenez hit two RBI doubles for the White Sox, both off Astros starter Cristian Javier.

Jimenez’s first double scored Tim Anderson in the first inning. In the sixth, Javier gave up three straight doubles to Benintendi, Jimenez and Joan Moncada to make it 3-0 and end his night.

White Sox reliever Kendall Graveman (0-1) loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh on two walks and a single. Jake Diekman came on and gave up Alvarez’s double to deep left-center, a drive that just eluded Luis Robert Jr. and bounced off the wall, clearing the bases.

Four Astros relievers each worked one scoreless inning. Seth Martinez (1-0) got the win and Rafael Montero handled the ninth for his first save.

Chicago starter Lance Lynn allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.

ALL IN A DAY’S REST

White Sox INF Andrew Vaughn, who hit a go-ahead two-run double in Thursday’s season-opening win, did not play. Vaughn experienced lower back issues during spring training. Gavin Sheets started at first base.

HOMETOWN HIT

Astros outfielder Corey Yulks, a Houston-area native, singled in his first at-bat and finished 1-for-4 in his major league debut.

PUT A RING ON IT

Astros owner Jim Crane and his wife, Whitney, presented the team and staff with their 2022 World Series rings in a pregame ceremony.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: LHP Blake Taylor, who is on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow strain, began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land.

UP NEXT

The four-game season-opening series continues Saturday when Houston’s Jose Urquidy faces Chicago’s Lucas Giolito.