Yankees acquire Jon Berti, trade Ben Rortvedt in three-way deal before Opening Day
HOUSTON — When he woke up on Wednesday, Aaron Boone was still concerned about the Yankees’ infield depth.
A few hours later, the team found its infield insurance.
On the eve of Opening Day, the Yankees swung a three-way trade to acquire utility infielder Jon Berti from the Marlins while sending catcher Ben Rortvedt to the Rays and outfield prospect John Cruz to Miami.
Berti, 34, can fill in at third base with DJ LeMahieu (right foot bone bruise) starting the season on the injured list while also providing coverage at shortstop, second base and the outfield.
“Really excited about this,” Boone said Wednesday afternoon. “Feel like we’re getting a really good player. Obviously with DJ being down, he very much figures in at the third-base mix. Hopefully once we’re whole, [Berti] serves as a guy that can play all over the infield, even play some outfield.
“Quality hitter, bat-to-ball, can steal a base. I think he’s going to be a really good addition for us, whether he’s playing in an everyday role or when we’re more whole in that utility role.”
Boone was not sure whether the right-handed hitting Berti would immediately enter the lineup at third base on Thursday against Astros left-hander Framber Valdez, saying it depended on his travel schedule. Berti, who will make $3.625 million this year and is under contract through 2025, hit .294 with a 103 OPS-plus and 16 steals in 133 games last season.
Before the Yankees acquired Berti — a move that came with “some urgency,” Boone said — Oswaldo Cabrera had been expected to hold down third base while LeMahieu was out.
But losing Cabrera’s versatility would have hurt the Yankees, since he is also their only backup option at shortstop and first base.
Boone described Berti, who recorded five Defensive Runs Saved at third base last year, as an “elite utility guy.”
- AL East preview: Where are the Yankees projected to finish?
- NL East preview: Do the Mets have a chance?
- AL Central preview: Detroit’s youth movement is here
- NL Central preview: Reds make a sneaky contender case
- AL West preview: Who wins out in the Astros-Rangers battle?
- NL West preview: Can anyone catch the Dodgers?
“Before a few hours ago, I was concerned about our infield depth and our bench and how we were going to maneuver that a little bit,” Boone said. “Feel like that improved a lot today.”
In the process, the Yankees got something of value for Rortvedt, who was out of minor league options and was third on the catching depth chart behind Austin Wells and Jose Trevino. Rortvedt, originally acquired from the Twins along with Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa ahead of the 2022 season, did a nice job catching AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole in the second half of last season but did not make much of an impact offensively.
Boone did not rule out further additions before rosters must be submitted on Thursday, but it appears that second baseman/left fielder Jahmai Jones will take the final bench spot after being claimed off waivers from the Brewers during spring training. Jones is also out of minor league options.
Cruz is an 18-year-old, left-handed hitter who spent last season playing for the Yankees’ rookie Florida Complex League team. He was ranked the Yankees’ No. 28 prospect by MLB pipeline.
