The New York Yankees recently traded their starting catcher, Gary Sanchez, together with Gio Urshela, for third baseman Josh Donaldson, shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and catcher Ben Rortvedt.
Rortvedt was injured at the time the Yankees executed the trade with the Minnesota Twins, but the team was aware.
According to manager Aaron Boone, the injury isn’t considered too important: it’s a minor oblique strain.
Oblique strains, for athletes, could be tricky because they have a rather high re-aggravation rate.
However, the Yankees are confident that Rortvedt will be ready when the season starts.
“#Yankees catcher Ben Rortvedt (oblique) has resumed throwing at distances up to 90 feet. He’ll swing a bat soon, and Aaron Boone expects him to play in games before camp ends,” MLB.com beat writer for the Yankees Bryan Hoch said via Twitter on Thursday.
#Yankees catcher Ben Rortvedt (oblique) has resumed throwing at distances up to 90 feet. He’ll swing a bat soon, and Aaron Boone expects him to play in games before camp ends.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 24, 2022
The Yankees Need Rortvedt Healthy
It’s the latest update on Rortvedt’s status, and it’s, thankfully for the Bombers, a positive one.
Rortvedt, currently 24 years old, has the pedigree of a high draft pick: he was a second round selection by the Twins in 2016.
He made the majors last year for the first time in his career, and struggled to the tune of a .169/.229/.281 line.
He hit three homers, had seven RBI and finished with a less-than-ideal 29/6 K/BB ratio in 98 plate appearances.
His health is extremely important to the Yankees, though, because he is expected to share catching duties with Kyle Higashioka now that Sanchez is out of the picture.
Neither of the two are known as an offensive powerhouse, so the likely scenario is that the one who shows the best ability to call a game and block balls behind the plate should play the most.
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