Pirates Trade for Yankees Catcher

The Pittsburgh Pirates added to their catcher depth.

Aug 28, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; against Chicago Cubs catcher Christian Bethancourt (60) hits an RBI single against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are still adding to their roster past the trade deadline and made sure to do so at catcher.

The Pirates announced that they traded for New York Yankees catcher Christian Bethancourt in exchange for cash considerations on Aug. 19.

Pittsburgh assigned Bethancourt to Triple-A Indianapolis and announced in the press release that they will have him on the Major League taxi squad for their next series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium, Aug. 21-23.

The Yankees signed Bethancourt to a minor league contract on July 28 and since he wasn't on their 40-man roster, they could trade him to the Pirates past the Aug. 3 deadline.

Why The Pirates Traded for Bethancourt

The Pirates have both Henry Davis and Rafael Flores Jr. on the 26-man roster, who have shared catching duties as of late.

Pittsburgh is missing Endy Rodríguez, who is currently out on the 10-day injured list with left hip inflammation, retroactive to Aug. 10.

Rodríguez could've rejoined the team for that series vs. the Dodgers, as the Pirates could activate him on Aug. 20, their day off.

Jun 29, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodríguez (13) watches his three run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It likely signals that the Pirates are not optimistic that Rodríguez will rejoin the team for that series and may need more time out.

Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomcyzk said in his injury report on Aug. 17 that Rodríguez has been dealing with left hip issues since June and that he was seeking second opinions on what the next plan would be for him.

The taxi squad would have Bethancourt travel with the Pirates and with the team during that series, but not officially on the 26-man roster, more of immediate help if they need it, especially if Rodríguez isn't ready.

What the Pirates Get in Bethancourt

Bethancourt is 34 years old and has played a game in eight major league seasons, 2013-17 and 2022-24.

He played 267 of his 428 major league games from 2022-24, splitting time between the Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs.

Jul 28, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher Christian Bethancourt (60) hits a double during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Bethancourt has hit .229/.259/.362 for an OPS of .621 at the major league level in his career, with 284 hits, 60 doubles, 35 home runs, 135 RBI and 48 walks to 326 strikeouts.

He had success in his last MLB stint with the Cubs, batting .281/.305/.509 for an OPS of .814 in 24 games in the final two months of the 2024 season.

Bethancourt most recently played for both Triple-A Iowa (Cubs) and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees), hitting .270/.320/.491 for an OPS of .811 in 67 games.

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