Pirates Acquire Veteran Catcher Christian Bethancourt from Yankees
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Pittsburgh adds the 34-year-old to their depth as injuries plague the catching corps.
The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired catcher Christian Bethancourt from the New York Yankees on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations, as MLB first reported.
Bethancourt, who is 34 and turns 35 on September 2, was not on the Yankees' 40-man roster, allowing the trade to occur after the August 3 deadline. Following the trade, Bethancourt was assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis, though he is expected to join the Major League taxi squad in Los Angeles this weekend. Pirates manager Don Kelly stated he has "heard great things" about the player.
MLB.com reports that the move signals a potential significant injury for starting catcher Endy Rodriguez. Rodriguez has faced repeated setbacks, having been placed on the injured list on July 6 for a left glute strain and returning to the IL on August 10 due to left hip inflammation.
Although Rafael Flores Jr. and Henry Davis have handled the majority of the catching duties, Pittsburgh's depth was strained after the team designated Shawn Ross for assignment on July 27, leading to Ross being claimed by the New York Mets. Davis also had to leave Wednesday's game because a pitch hit his right wrist, although X-rays came back negative.
Bethancourt brings a career .229 average over 428 Major League games with the Braves, Padres, A's, Rays, Marlins, and Cubs. This season, he hit .270 with 14 home runs and 45 RBI across 67 Minor League games for the Cubs and Yankees. He previously spent time in the Pirates organization in 2021.