The Yankees missed on a right-handed hitting catcher at the MLB trade deadline, and that leaves them staring at a backup plan that just fell into Boston’s lap.
New York went with Mitch Garver on a minor-league deal instead, even though the source material describes him as an inferior defender to backup Ali Sánchez. Whether Garver gets called up to replace Sánchez is still unclear, but for now he’s the club’s right-handed option behind starter Austin Wells.
There’s another name in the mix, though, and he comes with a fresh release from a division rival: Jake Rogers. The Red Sox picked up catchers Adley Rutschman and Jake Rogers from the Baltimore Orioles at the deadline, but Rogers was later designated for assignment because of a roster crunch. That’s where the Yankees enter the picture, at least in the eyes of FanSided’s Stephen Parello.
“That brings us to Rogers. The 31-year-old is a veteran who knows what to do out there, was beloved by Tarik Skubal and the rest of his former teammates in Detroit, and is known for his game-calling skills,” Parello wrote. “Those things don't show up in a box score, but they are important, especially for a backup.”
Rogers has handled left-handed pitching well this season, batting .273/.346/.455 against it. He also brings some real thump, after launching a career-high 21 home runs for the Detroit Tigers in 2023.
Wells has started to settle in at the plate after a rough first four months, and if the Yankees want a defense-first partner for him, Rogers fits that idea better than Garver. Parello put it plainly: “Pairing him [Wells] with a solid veteran like Rogers, who can hit lefties and provide some pop, is the ideal situation at this point in time,” Parello added. “There are other catcher-needy teams around the league, so the Yankees would be wise to strike quickly and take advantage of the gift the Red Sox's roster crunch just gave them.”
In Other News...
Red Sox Hero Keith Foulkes Abrupt Exit Has Fans Doing A Double Take
Keith Foulkes latest turn in baseball did not last long. The former Red Sox postseason hero had been hired to manage the Boston Hunters in the Womens Pro Baseball League, a move that gave his name a fresh spot in the game after years away from the old October spotlight. But the opportunity was gone almost as quickly as it arrived, leaving the kind of abrupt departure that makes people do a double take.
The explanation offered by the league centered on a need for a coach with more experience working with younger players, while Foulke suggested his situation may have worked against him as well. He was commuting from Arizona, and he pointed to those absences as a possible factor in how things unfolded. For a figure so familiar to Boston fans, the quick exit only adds another odd chapter to a baseball life that already has plenty of them. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Just Opened A Door Yankees Fans Will Notice
Adley Rutschmans return from the injured list forced a roster squeeze behind the plate, and the Red Sox answered by moving Jake Rogers off the active mix. It is the kind of transaction that can seem minor in the moment, but catching depth has a way of getting tested quickly, and Bostons decision creates a little extra room elsewhere on the roster.
For the Yankees, it also opens a name to watch. Their catching situation has been shaky enough that a serviceable defender with major league experience can suddenly look more useful than his bat would suggest, and Rogers fits that profile as a below-average hitter with enough defensive value to draw interest. If New York is looking for a backup option, this is the sort of available catcher that tends to get noticed fast. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Suddenly Have A Garrett Whitlock Concern They Can't Ignore
The Red Soxs slide reached five straight losses, and the late innings of Wednesdays game offered a small but notable clue about why the bullpen looked a little different. Instead of leaning on Garrett Whitlock in the eighth, the club turned to Tyron Guerrero, a usage choice that immediately raised eyebrows given Whitlocks standing as one of Bostons most important relievers.
Interim manager Chad Tracy confirmed Whitlock is dealing with elbow inflammation, an issue that has surfaced intermittently for him this season. Whitlock has been a key piece out of the bullpen, so even a brief absence matters for a team trying to stop the bleeding, and it leaves Boston watching closely as it tries to determine whether this is just another flare-up or something more concerning. [Read more 🡒]