The Pittsburgh Pirates just beefed up their roster with a veteran catcher, Christian Bethancourt, who brings eight years of MLB experience to the squad. This move comes right after Endy Rodriguez underwent hip surgery, leaving a gaping hole behind the plate that needed filling. The Pirates snagged Bethancourt from the New York Yankees in a mid-August trade, making a shrewd move for a player who was eligible to be traded because he hadn’t touched a 40-man roster all year.
Bethancourt’s Bat and That Cannon Arm
Bethancourt, who is 34, has been a pro for a minute, and while his career batting line of .229/.259/.362 with 35 homers and a .621 OPS across 427 games isn’t blowing anyone away, there’s more to this guy. Steve Adams from MLB Trade Rumors hit it right on the head, saying Bethancourt “was once a top prospect and has long been touted for his rocket arm.” Seriously, this dude can throw! Sure, Adams also mentioned some past struggles with blocking and framing, but that arm is legendary. This season, the Panama native has been tearing it up in Triple-A for both the Chicago Cubs and Yankees, hitting a much stronger .270/.320/.491 with 14 dingers in 249 plate appearances. That’s a serious step up in offensive production he’s bringing with him.
New Depth Behind the Dish
With Bethancourt’s call-up, the Pirates’ catcher situation just got interesting. They now roll with three catchers on the roster: Bethancourt, Henry Davis, and Rafael Flores Jr. That’s some serious depth for the final stretch of the season. Plus, they didn’t stop there, also recalling left-hander Brandon Eisert from Triple-A Indianapolis. This late-season veteran addition, especially one coming in hot from Triple-A, shows the Pirates are trying to solidify things when it matters.
What’s next for the Pirates and Bethancourt? With September baseball in full swing, adding a veteran with a hot bat from Triple-A and a rumored rocket arm could be exactly what they need to ride out the rest of the season strong. You gotta wonder if that Triple-A offensive surge will translate to the big leagues right when they need it most.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
Leave a Reply