The Yankees don’t need a catcher to come in and take Austin Wells’ job. At this point, that’s not the assignment. What they could use is a steadier right-handed backup than Ali Sánchez, and Boston may have just opened the door to one.
The Red Sox activated Adley Rutschman from the IL on Tuesday, and that move left them with too many catchers to carry. Rather than keep three backstops, Boston cut Jake Rogers loose after he had come north from Baltimore with Rutschman.
For the Yankees, that kind of roster squeeze could turn into a useful opportunity.
Rogers has been on the move a lot lately, going from the Detroit Tigers to Baltimore and then to Boston, and he’ll now be trying to stick with his fourth team since late July. The numbers this season aren’t eye-popping - he’s hitting .183/.290/.327 - but there’s more here than a glance at the stat line suggests. Rogers has earned a reputation around the game as a good teammate and a reliable presence behind the plate.
That matters for a backup catcher. It’s not just about what shows up in the box score.
Sánchez has done some things well enough to keep the conversation alive. His overall line sits at .268/.300/.357, which works out to an 85 wRC+, and he’s been especially useful against left-handers at .333/.353/.485.
That’s the part that helps protect Wells. But there have also been real defensive mistakes, and the bat is still too small a sample to trust without some hesitation.
Rogers offers a different kind of security. The 31-year-old knows the position, was well liked by Tarik Skubal and his former teammates in Detroit, and is regarded for his game-calling. Those are the kinds of traits that don’t jump off a stat sheet, but they matter when you’re talking about the guy handling the job behind a starter.
He’s also shown he can do damage against lefties, batting .273/.346/.455 versus southpaws this season. And while the overall offense has been quiet, Rogers has flashed real power before, most notably with 21 homers in just 107 games in 2023.
There’s a comparison to be made with recent Yankees signing Mitch Garver, though Rogers brings a much better defensive profile than the former Seattle Mariner.
The timing is favorable too, because Wells has been trending up. Since July 9, he’s hit .273/.375/.545 over 64 plate appearances, a run that suggests the Yankees may be getting something closer to the catcher they hoped for.
Put Wells with a veteran like Rogers - someone who can handle lefties, add some pop, and keep the operation stable - and that looks like the cleanest setup available right now. With other teams also searching for catching help, New York would be smart to move fast and take advantage of the opening Boston just created.
In Other News...
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Michael Kay added his voice to that debate this week, saying he was disappointed by the thinner turnout and pointing to the changing cast of former Yankees as part of the issue. The event does not carry quite the same weight without the legendary figures who once defined it, and the continued absence of Derek Jeter from recent editions only adds another layer to the concern. For a fan base that still treats tradition seriously, the question is whether Old-Timers Day can stay special without the names that once made it feel unmissable. [Read more 🡒]
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Yankees Bullpen Search Could Lead To A Risky Late Waiver Add
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One name drawing attention is a right-hander who has had a rough run this season but still carries traits that teams tend to chase late in the year. His recent numbers have been shaky, yet the pitch data suggests there is still some bat-missing ability in there, which is the sort of profile that can tempt a contender looking for a low-cost fix. For the Yankees, the question is whether that upside is enough to justify a claim when the margin for error keeps shrinking. [Read more 🡒]