Cubs reacquire catcher Koyie Hill from Reds - MLB

Ryan Dempster will have a familiar face behind the plate for his start tonight against the White Sox.

Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com reports that the Cubs have acquired catcher Koyie Hill from the Reds for cash considerations. He’s expected to join the club immediately.

The Cubs have a sudden need for catching depth now that Geovany Soto is expected to miss three to four weeks following left knee surgery and Welington Castillo is out for four to seven days due to a mild MCL sprain in his right knee. Blake Lalli is the only other catcher on the roster right now and he just made his major league debut yesterday.

Hill was non-tendered by the Cubs in December after batting .194/.268/.276 over 153 plate appearances last season. The 33-year-old backstop signed a minor league deal with the Cardinals in January, but was released at the end of spring training. He latched on with the Reds late last month and had a .195/250/.341 over 44 plate appearances with Double-A Pensacola.

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.