WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 28: A detail view of a bat weight with a New York Yankees logo during a game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on August 28, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images)
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The New York Yankees have spent much of the season managing uncertainty behind the plate, and that situation became even more complicated when veteran catcher addition exercised a complex contract clause.
Shortly after joining the Yankees’ minor league affiliate, Mitch Garver triggered an assignment clause that suddenly created a deadline for the organization, forcing the Yankees to either promote him to the major league roster or risk losing him to another team that would be willing to do so.
In response, on Tuesday, the organization placed him on the restricted list at Triple-A without further elaboration, at least initially. But while the Yankees sorted through that depth catching question, a recent member of their backstop group received a much clearer answer about his immediate future.
New York Yankees’ Former Catcher Gets Promotion Shortly After Trade
Christian Bethancourt, whom the Yankees acquired earlier this summer, has now been added to the Pittsburgh Pirate’s major league roster, almost immediately after he was cast off by the Yankees in a late-season trade.
“The Pirates selected Bethancourt’s contract from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday,” CBS Sports reported. “The veteran backstop was acquired from the Yankees for cash in mid-August and will now get his first look in the majors with Pittsburgh.”
The move represents a somewhat surprising turn for Bethancourt, who went from being Yankees organizational depth to joining a National League roster in a matter of weeks.
“The Bucs just acquired Bethancourt, 34, in a cash swap with the Yankees in mid-August,” Steve Adams noted for MLB Trade Rumors. “He hasn’t appeared in a game with the Pirates’ Indy affiliate yet since he’s spent the entirety of his time in the organization on the major league taxi squad (which has surely afforded him some time to acclimate with his new pitching staff).”
That trade was surprising as it came well after the official trade deadline, though it was permitted because Bethancourt has remained in the minors all season up to this point.
New York Yankees Catcher Castoff Offers Power And Experience To New Team After Trade
Bethancourt earned the promotion after producing a strong offensive season in the minors. Across 249 plate appearances between Triple-A stops with the Chicago Cubs and Yankees this year, he hit .270/.320/.491 with 14 home runs.
Bethancourt has played parts of eight major league seasons with six organizations, compiling a career .229/.259/.362 batting line. He has historically made plenty of contact but rarely drawn walks, limiting his overall offensive value when the power does not show up.
For the Yankees, meanwhile, Bethancourt’s promotion provides another reminder of the catching depth they have been forced to navigate throughout the season.
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