Caratini signed a one-year, $2.8 million contract with the Brewers on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Caratini has served as a backup catcher for the majority of his career. However, he's managed to top 300 plate appearances in each of his last two seasons while also grading out as a well above-average framer behind the dish. Entering 2023, Caratini figures to serve as the secondary catcher in Milwaukee behind William Contreras.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Drills three-run blast
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Caratini went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer and a walk in Monday's 6-4 win over Colorado.
Caratini launched the go-ahead shot during Milwaukee's four-run sixth inning. He snapped a 24-game homerless drought with his first long ball since Aug. 4 and ninth on the year. The 29-year-old catcher is now slashing .207/.317/.365 with 17 extra-base hits and 29 RBI through 259 plate appearances.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Back on bench versus righty
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Caratini is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs.
Caratini went 2-for-12 with a run scored while starting in each of the Brewers' last three games, all of which came with left-handed pitchers taking the hill for the opposition. The lefty-hitting Omar Narvaez will step back in behind the plate Sunday against Cubs righty Adrian Sampson, so the switch-hitting Caratini looks like he'll fill a short-side platoon role moving forward.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Resting Wednesday
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Caratini is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers.
Caratini will give way to Mario Feliciano behind the dish after catching in the first two games of the series. Though he remains atop the depth chart for now, Caratini could soon fade to the No. 2 role after top backstop Omar Narvaez (quadriceps) began a minor-league rehab assignment Tuesday.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Catches breather Sunday
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Caratini is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.
After starting eight straight games, Caratini will get a chance to rest. Mario Feliciano will take Caratini's place behind the plate.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Three hits in loss
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Caratini went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Friday's 3-1 loss to the Cardinals.
Caratini was the only player on either team to record multiple hits. He also produced the Brewers' lone run, plating Luis Urias with a single in the seventh inning. Caratini entered Friday 0-for-10 across his last three games, though his starting role is not yet in doubt since Omar Narvaez (quadriceps) is a week away from beginning a rehab assignment. For the season, Caratini is slashing .233/.351/.413 with eight home runs, 22 RBI, 21 runs scored and seven doubles through 205 plate appearances.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Slugs eighth homer in loss
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Caratini went 1-for-3 with a solo homer in Thursday's loss to the Pirates.
Caratini saw himself elevated to the No. 1 catcher recently after Pedro Severino was designated for assignment and Omar Narvaez (quadriceps) was placed on the 10-day IL. The switch hitter wasted no time taking advantage of the increased role by cracking his eighth home run of the season, this one off Pirates starter Zach Thompson.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Steps into No. 1 catcher role
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Caratini will start at catcher and bat seventh in Wednesday's game against the Pirates.
In less than 24 hours, Caratini has seen both of his primary challengers for playing time exit the Brewers' active roster. Prior to Wednesday's 8-7 loss, the Brewers designated No. 3 backstop Pedro Severino for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster for starting pitcher Freddy Peralta, who was reinstated from the 60-day injured list. Then, No. 1 catcher Omar Narvaez exited Wednesday's contest with a left quadriceps strain, which resulted in him being placed on the 10-day injured list. Milwaukee called up Mario Feliciano from Triple-A Nashville to add depth at catcher, but the switch-hitting Caratini should be in line to see regular starts against both left- and right-handed pitching while Narvaez is on the shelf. Caratini draws walks at a high rate and makes contact at a decent clip for a catcher, but his average power and low placement in the batting order will likely render him a low-end fantasy option.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Blasts walkoff home run
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Caratini went 1-for-5 with a three-run homer in Monday's 5-2 win over the Cubs.
Caratini took Scott Effross deep for a three-run shot in the bottom of the 10th inning to defeat the Cubs. On the flip side, he struck out in his other four at-bats. The 28-year-old is up to seven homers this season with six of those coming in his last 20 appearances. Caratini is now slashing .245/.368/.464 with 17 RBI and 10 extra-base hits through 133 plate appearances.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Homers, reaches four times
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Caratini went 2-for-2 with a homer, a walk, a hit-by-pitch and two RBI in a 6-3 win Sunday in Cincinnati.
Caratini reached base all four times he came to the plate and delivered a two-out, two-run homer in the fourth inning to give Milwaukee an early 3-0 lead. Over his last four starts, he is 8-for-13 with three extra-base hits and three walks. While he's primarily starting against left-handed pitching, the 28-year-old is making the most of his opportunities and has posted a career-high .843 OPS through 30 contests.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Returning to No. 2 role
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Caratini is not in the lineup for Friday's game at Washington.
The 28-year-old served as Milwaukee's No. 1 backstop over past week with Omar Narvaez (illness) on the COVID-19 injured list, but Narvaez is back on the active roster and starting Friday. Caratini started six of seven games during that stretch and went 4-for-18 with a double, two walks and a run. He should continue to see playing time against left-handed pitching while Narvaez handles most of the starts against righties.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Swats go-ahead homer
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Caratini went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a 3-1 win over the Cubs in the second game of Monday's doubleheader.
Caratini saw out the matinee contest, but he was in the lineup for the nightcap. He delivered his second homer in his last two games and his third of the year to put the Brewers ahead 2-1 in the fifth inning. The 28-year-old catcher is up to a .207/.299/.379 slash line with seven RBI, five runs scored and a double in 67 plate appearances. With Omar Narvaez hitting well, Caratini is unlikely to see much more than a backup role.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Two hits including homer in loss
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Caratini went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Saturday's 8-3 loss to the Cardinals.
Caratini singled in the seventh before launching a two-run shot off T.J. McFarland in the top of the ninth. The homer was his second of the year while the two hits were his first since May 13, going 0-for-16 in his prior six games. Caratini remains the backup to Omar Narvaez at catcher, receiving only one or two starts a week.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Back from COVID-19 IL
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Caratini (undisclosed) was activated from the COVID-19 injured list Sunday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
The 28-year-old landed on the COVID-19 IL on Tuesday and will rejoin the active roster after clearing MLB's testing protocols. Caratini should resume duties as the Brewers' No. 2 catcher behind Omar Narvaez and will likely see most of his starts against left-handed pitchers.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Heads to COVID-19 IL
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The Brewers announced Tuesday that Caratini was placed on the COVID-19 injured list, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
As a result of Caratini either testing positive for the virus or being deemed a close contact of an infected person, the Brewers made their first roster move since Opening Day. In a corresponding transaction, Milwaukee recalled Alex Jackson from Triple-A Nashville to serve as the No. 2 catcher behind Omar Narvaez while Caratini is away from the team.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Swats first homer
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Caratini went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in a loss to the Cardinals on Saturday.
Caratini provided all of Milwaukee's offense with his solo shot in the eighth inning. It was the first long ball for the backstop as a Brewer after he hit seven homers for the Padres last season. Caratini is slashing .308/.400/.615 on the campaign, and he has split time behind the plate with Omar Narvaez thus far.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Filling short-side platoon role
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Caratini will start at catcher and bat ninth in Wednesday's game against the Orioles.
Both Caratini and Omar Narvaez have each picked up three starts apiece, but a timeshare arrangement doesn't seem to be in the works between the two catchers. Instead, manager Craig Counsell seems to be favoring a platoon setup, with the switch-hitting Caratini entering the lineup against southpaw pitchers, while the lefty-hitting Narvaez plays against righties.
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Brewers' Victor Caratini: Traded to Milwaukee
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Caratini was traded from the Padres to the Brewers on Wednesday in exchange for Korry Howell and Brett Sullivan, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
The Padres have plenty of options to serve as catching depth, so Caratini will head to Milwaukee to serve as the No. 2 backstop behind Omar Narvaez after Pedro Severino was issued an 80-game suspension Tuesday. Caratini appeared in 116 games for the Padres last year and slashed .227/.309/.323 with seven home runs, 39 RBI, 33 runs and two stolen bases.
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Padres' Victor Caratini: Reaches deal without arbitration
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Caratini and the Padres agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal Tuesday, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.
The contract means the two sides won't have to go through arbitration. Caratini will be part of a crowded catcher depth chart in San Diego this season, with Austin Nola, Jorge Alfaro and Luis Campusano all competing for playing time.
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Padres' Victor Caratini: Out of Sunday's lineup
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Caratini is not in the lineup Sunday against the Giants.
Caratini started the first two games of the season but will take a seat for the final game of the season. Barring an appearance off the bench, the 28-year-old will end his first year in San Diego with a .224/.307/.321 slash line with seven homers, 38 RBI and 32 runs in 355 plate appearances.
