Jon Berti might play at third base for the injury-hit Yankees in their first game against Houston on Thursday after New York got the infielder in a trade involving Miami and Tampa Bay.
In the trade, New York sent catcher Ben Rortvedt to the Tampa Bay Rays and minor league outfielder Juan Cruz to the Marlins, while outfielder Shane Sasaki moved from the Rays to Miami.
The 34-year-old Berti could fill in at third base while DJ LeMahieu is on the injured list because of a bone bruise in his right foot. LeMahieu got hurt on March 16 and will undergo more tests Friday. Additionally, the Yankees announced on March 9 that infielder Oswald Peraza will be out for six to eight weeks due to a strained right shoulder.
“With DJ being down, Berti could be an option at third base,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Hopefully, once everyone’s back, he can play in different positions and be a quality hitter who can steal bases.”
Boone said he would wait until Berti arrived in Houston to decide if he starts against the Astros. He mentioned Gleyber Torres as another option for third base. The Yankees had a tough season last year, finishing with an 82-80 record, their worst since 1992. Their .227 batting average was one of the lowest in the league.
“I hope our offense performs better this season,” Boone said. “We’ll see how good we are starting tomorrow.”
Berti had a good season last year, hitting .294 with seven home runs, 33 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases. He struggled in spring training, batting .229 with one home run and six RBIs. Berti is set to become a free agent after the 2025 season.
Rortvedt, a 26-year-old left-handed hitter, was running out of options with the Yankees, who already had Jose Trevino and rookie Austin Wells in their catching plans. Trevino will start for the Yankees on Thursday.
Rortvedt, acquired from Minnesota in March 2022, had a tough time last season due to injuries. He had surgery during spring training last year and joined the Yankees in May, batting .118 with two home runs and four RBIs in 32 games.
Rortvedt may share catching duties with right-handed-hitting René Pinto. “A lefty hitter complements our lineup well,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “We think highly of him defensively.” Cash also mentioned that infielder/outfielder Austin Shelton will make his big league debut.
Juan Soto, who recently joined the Yankees, had a tough time in spring training, going 5 for his last 28 (.179) with no RBIs.
Infielder Jorbit Vivas suffered a left orbital fracture before Monday’s exhibition game against the New York Mets. Outfielder Oscar González sustained a right orbital fracture in Monday’s exhibition game at Diablos Rojos. Both players will be seeing specialists for their injuries.
