Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno returns from IL Friday, Jose Herrera DFA’d

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks reinstated starting catcher Gabriel Moreno from the 60-day injured list ahead of Friday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Diamondbacks designated backup catcher Jose Herrera for assignment to create room on the roster. Arizona will roll with Moreno, James McCann and Adrian Del Castillo as the three rostered catchers.

“I’ll go ahead and let you know I penciled him into the lineup for tonight,” manager Torey Lovullo told MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM. “Real excited to have him back. A Gold Glove defender that we’ve been missing for over two months.”

"I penciled [Gabriel Moreno] in the lineup for tonight."

Torey Lovullo announces the return of their impact catcher. @Dbacks | #Dbacks
🔗 https://t.co/6YbqEWFvEp pic.twitter.com/7LrB4jSfTg

— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) August 22, 2025

Moreno last played for the Diamondbacks on June 14 before hitting the IL with a fractured right index finger.

His finger was initially injured on a wild pitch that struck his bare hand during a rainy inning in Cincinnati on June 6. He attempted to play through it after a couple days of rest, even hitting a home run against the Seattle Mariners.

Further imaging revealed the fracture at the base of his finger, putting him on the shelf for more than two months.

He has played six games with Triple-A on rehab assignment and played back-to-back games for Reno this week. He went 4-for-8 with two home runs and caught a runner stealing in those last two outings.

Moreno had been playing very well at the time of his injury. After a quiet April at the plate, Moreno slashed .300/.327/.530 in 28 games before landing on the IL.

The 25-year-old has dealt with injuries in all three of his seasons with the Diamondbacks.

Shoulder inflammation caused him to miss nearly three weeks in 2023, and a groin strain shelved him for over a month last year. He came into spring training in better physical shape to be more athletic and less prone to injury, and then he got smacked in the hand in suboptimal weather conditions.

The Diamondbacks were a different team before his injury having gone through the trade deadline, and Moreno will return to his role as a Gold Glove-caliber catcher and someone capable of lengthening the lineup.

Jose Herrera DFA’d

The Diamondbacks could not option either Herrera or McCann, so they elected to expose Herrera to the waiver wire. If he clears waivers, he could return to the organization outright to the minor leagues or get released.

Herrera signed with the Diamondbacks as a 16-year-old back in 2013 and has been with the organization ever since. He was Arizona’s backup catcher during its trip to the 2023 World Series.

A trusted game caller, Herrera has never found much offensive success in the major leagues (.539 career OPS). He’s graded out well as a blocker defensively this season but has not been a prolific thrower throughout his tenure.

The D-backs brought in McCann, a 35-year-old veteran, to alleviate the loss of Moreno this summer. McCann has been the more impactful offensive contributor with a .740 OPS in 29 games as well as a trusted voice behind the dish.

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