Yankees continue to make Pirates their former catcher factory with latest small trade

If you're a blocked New York Yankees catcher, you might want to whisper a few sweet nothings in Ben Cherington's ear. Chances are there's a place for you with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ironically, on the very same day that Rafael Flores Jr. hit not one, but two homers - including the game-tying shot in the ninth inning - to fell Kenley Jansen and flip the score on the Tigers, the Yankees handed Pittsburgh another name off their depth chart in Christian Bethancourt.

You may recognize Bethancourt from being a well-traveled former top prospect in all of baseball who's played for six MLB teams - none since 2024 - in an eight-year career. More recently, though, he probably caught your eye as the Yankees' midseason pickup that made your uncle say, "Welp, I told you. There's our catcher. Cashman's not getting us ANYBODY."

At which point you probably replied, "That's silly! Of course he is. Bethancourt is just insurance." And then he didn't. And now Bethancourt's gone after a mini-heater. But that doesn't mean Ali Sanchez is secured in the Yankees' backup role long-term.

Yankees trading Christian Bethancourt for cash considerations means Mitch Garver is around the corner?

The Yankees have a severely limited time to get former Mariners/Twins catcher (and Tanner Swanson disciple) Mitch Garver the Triple-A reps he needs to prove his viability for the stretch run, and Bethancourt was clearly getting in the way of that stated mission. It's no guarantee that Garver will be elevated to the Yankees or make a real impact, but this small trade would seem to hint that the Yankees want to maximize his window quickly in hopes of finding out.

So far, Garver's a robust 2-for-8 with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and we can already hear the delighted squeals of, "Call him up already!" emanating from the WFAN phone lines.

Austin Wells' post-trade deadline performance has (somehow) rivaled that of every catcher who changed hands, sans-Liam Hicks, so far. Add a veteran right-handed component to the catching tandem in Sanchez's place and the Yankees might just be playoff-ready behind the dish. Unfortunately, Bethancourt was hindering that possibility (despite a scorching cameo in their system).

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