Yankees call up lost trade piece after Jose Trevino lands on paternity list
The moment New York Yankees fans across the globe have been waiting for. The final piece of the Josh Donaldson-Isiah Kiner-Falefa-Gio Urshela-Gary Sánchez offseason trade has finally arrived in the Bronx.
After months of waiting to see the man’s world-renowned biceps, catcher Ben Rortvedt, after dealing with a knee issue and Jose Trevino’s ascension, has been called up to the major league roster.
On Friday, the Yankees made the announcement after Trevino was placed on the paternity list. In 2022, Rortvedt has played in a total of 37 games, mostly at Triple-A, and has hit .208 with a .687 OPS. In 171 innings behind the plate, he’s recorded eight assists, three errors and one passed ball. He’s thrown out only seven of 29 base stealers, too.
Rortvedt, 24, made his MLB debut in 2021, logging 39 games with the Twins while batting .169 with a .510 OPS, three homers and seven RBI. He committed three errors, let by two passed balls, and threw out seven of 16 base stealers.
He’ll be in New York as a fill-in and nothing more … unless he manages to figure out a way to steal Kyle Higashioka’s backup spot.
The Yankees have promoted Ben Rortvedt after Jose Trevino hit the paternity list
Wait a second! Rortvedt has actually been raking over his last 10 games at Triple-A, so maybe the tide is turning for him. Admittedly, he’s dealt with a lot since becoming a Yankee.
First, he was held back due to an oblique issue. Then he made his way back from that, only to suffer a knee injury that required surgery in May. The oblique issue paved the way for Trevino and the knee issue made him an afterthought.
For those asking: yes, the man is real. And he’ll be with the Yankees likely for the homestand against the Tampa Bay Rays. No better time to make an impression, either! This series could make or break the Yankees as they head down the stretch clinging onto their AL East lead.
If Rortvedt can harness a shred of the hype that came with him at the time of the Yankees-Twins deal, then he might be able to make a name for himself rather quickly.