The New York Yankees are being urged to add a 31-year-old catcher recently cast off by the Boston Red Sox as they consider their options behind the plate.
With New York facing a need for additional catching depth, one proposed solution would have the Yankees turning to a veteran cast aside only yesterday by their fiercest divisional rival.
That veteran is Jake Rogers, designated for assignment by Boston Tuesday as a corresponding move when the Red Sox activated Adley Rutschman from the injured list, a move confirmed by CBS Sports. Rogers played just three games with the Red Sox, but he batted .500 — going 3-for-6 with two doubles, an RBI, four runs and a walk before Boston opted to carry only two catchers.
Detroit designated Rogers for assignment July 28 to clear room for Javier Báez’s return, Baltimore acquired him two days later, and Boston folded him into the August 3 trade that sent Rutschman to Fenway Park. He now faces a fourth organization since late July if and when a team claims him off waivers.
Yankees’ Backup Catcher Problems
Wells remains entrenched as the Yankees’ starter and has turned things around since a miserable first half at the plate. Right-handed depth behind him, though, has been unsettled all season.
Alí Sánchez has handled most of the backup work, hitting a respectable .268/.300/.357 overall, boosted by a .333/.353/.485 line against left-handers, exactly the profile New York wants. He has also been prone to costly defensive miscues, and his thin track record means a slump could turn him into a serious liability almost overnight. J.C. Escarra has bounced between the majors and minors as a lefty option, and Ben Rice remains available strictly as an emergency fill-in.
New York did not address catching at the trade deadline, then signed veteran Mitch Garver to a minor league deal, a move that has not been treated as a clear solution.
How Jake Rogers Could Fit in New York
The push to bring in Rogers comes from Yanks Go Yard, which laid out the case in an analysis published Wednesday by Stephen Parello the day after Boston’s DFA of Rogers became official. Parello called the timing fortuitous, writing that the Red Sox’s roster crunch “might’ve gifted” New York exactly the player it needs, and adding that Rogers is “well-respected around the game” both as a teammate and for his presence behind the plate.
Rogers offers what the Yankees have lacked, according to Parello, a proven defender and game-caller with occasional pop against left-handed pitching. He has hit .273/.346/.455 versus southpaws this season even as his overall line sagged to .183/.290/.327, and he displayed real power as recently as 2023, hitting 21 home runs in 107 games with Detroit. For his career, he has posted a .653 OPS across parts of six major league seasons.
Detroit teammates, including Tarik Skubal, have long valued Rogers’ game-calling and pitch-framing, credentials that matter more than his batting line for a backup catcher. Parello argued Rogers represents a defensive upgrade over Sánchez while still offering enough thump to keep pitchers honest.
Rogers is owed only the remaining portion of a $3.05 million salary and becomes a free agent after the season, meaning a claim would cost almost nothing. Multiple clubs have monitored the catching market all summer, so competition for a waiver claim appears inevitable. If New York values defense and leadership over offense, Rogers becomes a logical fit behind Wells before the waiver window closes.
Yankees Urged to Add 31-Year-Old Red Sox Castoff Catcher