Cast off by the Milwaukee Brewers a little over a week ago, catcher Jacob Nottingham made an impactful return after the team reacquired him in a trade with the Seattle Mariners.
Nottingham hit a pair of home runs during Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, including one off starter Julio Urias to lead off the third inning Sunday in his first at-bat of the season.
Nottingham’s play was one of few bright spots for the Brewers during a 16-4 loss.
Seattle had claimed Nottingham off waivers from Milwaukee last week but then designated him for assignment. The Brewers announced Sunday that they acquired him for cash.
“We just needed to bring another catcher into the organization, and somebody with familiarity works out great,” manager Craig Counsell said before Sunday’s game.
The Brewers have placed their top two catchers — Omar Narvaez and Manny Pina — on the injured list over the past week. Narvaez has a strained left hamstring. Pina has a fractured left big toe.
Nottingham, 26, was playing in his first major league game this year. He hit .188 with four homers and 13 RBIs in 20 games last year and entered Sunday with a .203 batting average, .306 on-base percentage, five homers and 17 RBIs in 38 career games.
“He knows our group,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “He knows our organization. It made sense to be able to bring him back and plug him right in there.”
Mario Feliciano, who made his major league debut Saturday and scored the winning run in a 6-5, 11-inning victory over the Dodgers, was optioned to the Brewers’ alternate training site in Appleton, Wisconsin.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.