Yankees lose starting catcher to a right wrist tear

Currently, the New York Yankees find themselves in a turbulent phase. As they aim to acquire key players at the trade deadline to strengthen their roster, they also have to grapple with substantial injuries within the team.

Injury Updates: Aaron Judge and José Treviño

Slugger Aaron Judge is persistently rehabilitating from a torn ligament in his right big toe. In another unfortunate development on Friday afternoon, it was announced that starting catcher José Treviño has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a right wrist tear.

Treviño’s Impact: A Significant Loss for the Yankees

Treviño, 30, has been a consistent performer this season, starting in 55 games for the Yankees. His performance includes a .210 batting average, a .257 OBP, four home runs, 15 RBIs, a 13.1% strikeout rate, a 4.8% walk rate, and a 58 wRC+.

Regarded as one of the league’s best defensive catchers, Treviño has the seventh-highest strike rate at 49.9% and has secured six catcher-framing runs, ranking him third in the MLB. Teams have been prioritizing defensive catchers for quite some time, and Treviño perfectly fits the description. His absence is indeed a significant loss for the Yankees.

Looking Ahead: Yankees’ Temporary Solution

In the interim, the team will depend on Kyle Higashioka, a 33-year-old with a .232 batting average and a .267 OBP this season. His performance includes five home runs, 24 RBIs, and a 77 wRC+.

As a catcher, Higashioka ranks 27th in strike rate at 47.2% and has secured two catcher-framing runs. In an attempt to counter Treviño’s absence, the Yankees have promoted lefty Ben Rortvedt, a 25-year-old who has primarily played with Triple-A Scranton this year. His stats include a .286 batting average, a .395 OBP, six home runs, 22 RBIs, a 25% strikeout rate, a 12.9% walk rate, and a 126 wRC+. With his lefty swing, Rortvedt may score some home runs in the short right porch of Yankee Stadium, backed by his decent defensive metrics.

The Trade Deadline: A New Catcher Needed?

With Treviño’s injury, the Yankees may need to reconsider their strategy and scout for catching support at the trade deadline. It is a position they had presumed secure heading into the season.