Jon Berti might play third base for the Yankees in their game against Houston on Thursday, after they got him in a trade involving Miami and Tampa Bay.
New York traded 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.
Jon Berti, who is 34 years old, might play at third base while DJ LeMahieu is injured. LeMahieu has been out since March 16 with a bone bruise in his right foot. Additionally, Oswald Peraza won't be playing for six to eight weeks due to a shoulder injury.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone mentioned that with DJ LeMahieu out, Jon Berti would be part of the third base options. Boone hopes that Berti can play in multiple positions once the team is fully fit.
Boone said he'll decide whether Berti starts against the Astros once Berti is in Houston. Gleyber Torres is likely to lead off, and Oswaldo Cabrera is another option for third base.
The Yankees had a disappointing 82-80 season last year, with a team batting average of .227, which was second to last in the league.
Boone expressed hope that the team's offense will perform as expected. He emphasized the need to perform well in the upcoming game to evaluate the team's potential.
Boone is in the final year of his contract with the Yankees.
Boone's focus is on helping the team reach its goal of becoming world champions, and he's not dwelling on concerns about his job security.
Last year, Berti had a .294 batting average with seven homers, 33 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases. He hit .229 with one homer and six RBIs in spring training this year, with a total of 12 strikeouts in 35 at-bats. Berti has a salary of $3,625,000 and can become a free agent after the 2025 season.
Rortvedt, a 26-year-old left-handed batter, was traded because he had limited opportunities in the Yankees' catching plans. Jose Trevino will be the starting catcher on Thursday.
Acquired from Minnesota last year, Rortvedt missed a large part of the season due to injury and only played 48 minor league games. He joined the Yankees in May and had a .118 batting average with two homers and four RBIs in 32 games.
Rortvedt may share playing time with right-handed batter René Pinto.
Rays manager Kevin Cash sees Rortvedt as a good addition to their team and expects him to adjust well. He emphasized Rortvedt's defensive skills and the value of having a left-handed hitter in the lineup.
Cash mentioned that infielder/outfielder Austin Shelton will be on the opening-day roster, which would give the 26-year-old the opportunity to make his first appearance in the major leagues.
Cruz, who is 18 years old, agreed to join New York in 2022 for a bonus of $75,000. He batted .294 with 10 home runs, 47 RBIs, nine stolen bases, and a .907 OPS last season for the Florida Complex League Yankees.
Sasaki, at the age of 23, was selected by Tampa Bay in the third round of the 2019 amateur draft as the 99th pick. Hailing from Hawaii, Sasaki achieved a .299 batting average with seven home runs, 39 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases last season while playing for Class A Bowling Green and the Florida Complex League Rays.
Juan Soto is set to make his debut for the Yankees after a disappointing spring training performance where he went 5 for his last 28 (.179) with no RBIs.
Infielder Jorbit Vivas was scheduled to undergo examination by an ophthalmologist in Tampa, Florida, on Thursday and then by additional specialists on Friday following a left orbital fracture sustained before Monday’s exhibition game against the New York Mets.
Outfielder Oscar González has been released from a Mexico City hospital after enduring a right orbital fracture in Monday’s exhibition at Diablos Rojos. González is also expected to meet with an ophthalmologist on Thursday and could return to Tampa this weekend, according to Boone.