Pirates Acquire Veteran Catcher In Post-Deadline Move
The trade is possible more than two weeks after the August 3 deadline because Bethancourt wasn't on New York's 40-man roster, and he isn't on Pittsburgh's either unless the club promotes him.
He's been assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis, but is expected to join the Pirates' big league taxi squad for their upcoming series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles starting Friday.
Why Pittsburgh Needed The Depth
Endy Rodriguez, the Pirates' regular starting catcher, has been in and out of the lineup all summer, first landing on the injured list July 6 with a left glute strain before returning to it August 10 with left hip inflammation after only 10 games back.
Pirates have acquired C Christian Bethancourt from the Yankees for cash.
— Jason Mackey (@JMackey_PGH) August 19, 2026
Bethancourt, 34, has hit .270 with 9 2B, 14 HR, 45 RBI, an .811 OPS and 35 R in 67 G in Triple-A this season.
Would imagine not great news for Endy Rodriguez. Bethancourt expected to join taxi squad.
That left Henry Davis and Rafael Flores Jr. to handle the bulk of the catching duties, and Pittsburgh's depth thinned further after the club designated Shawn Ross for assignment on July 27. While the Pirates have four catchers ranked in MLB Pipeline's system-wide top 30, none are considered close to big league ready, making an outside addition the more practical fix.
A Well-Traveled Veteran
Bethancourt, who turns 35 on September 2, brings major league experience even if his numbers have never been especially strong. Across 428 games and parts of eight seasons with the Braves, Padres, Athletics, Rays, Marlins, and Cubs, he's a career .229 hitter with 35 home runs and 135 RBI, appearing in three postseason games with Tampa Bay in 2022 and 2023. His last MLB action came in 2024.
He's had a productive year in the minors, hitting a combined .270 with 14 home runs, 45 RBI, and an .811 OPS across 67 games split between the Cubs' and Yankees' Triple-A affiliates.
He signed with New York on a minor league deal just last month, on July 28, after Chicago released him, and never appeared for the Yankees before being flipped to Pittsburgh.
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