Bombers deal for ‘elite utility guy’
The thinking behind the Yankees landing versatile vet before opener
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 thirdbase 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 righthanded 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.”
“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, lefthanded 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.
THE Yankees did well in turning a piece that did not have a comfortable spot on their roster, Ben Rortvedt, into one whose skill set fits well in the moment for an in-the-moment team.
Jon Berti, even at 34, has retained his speed and versatility. He has started games in the majors at every position except first, catcher and pitcher. At this time, with DJ LeMahieu on the IL, he can either be the third baseman or be the right-hand portion of a platoon with switch-hitter Oswaldo Cabrera, who is much better from the left side.
With the Astros starting southpaw Framber Valdez in Thursday’s opener, it would not be surprising to see Berti starting at third after he was the Yankees’ portion of a three-team trade that sent Rortvedt to the Rays and prospects John Cruz (from the Yankees) and Shane Sasaki (from the Rays) to the Marlins.
A scout who covered the Marlins in spring training said of Berti, “He played well for me — the same allaround, reliable, winning player. Smart. Team-first. He can play all over the infield — he still has the arm for it.”
The Padres tried hard to acquire Berti at the trade deadline last season. But the Marlins had not made the playoffs in a 162-game season since winning the 2003 World Series. And Berti was central to last year’s team getting in as a wild card, starting 111 games at five positions and hitting a career-best .294 and adding 16 steals after leading the majors with 41 steals in 2022.
But Miami, with ace Sandy Alcantara out for the season and big questions about infield defense and overall offense, is a strong candidate to regress from 84 wins. And Berti is the kind of player, who in the words of another scout is better “for a good team than a bad one.”
He is a security blanket for the Yankees. A potential sub when needed in a variety of areas. A speed piece to use late in games — “trust me, he has not lost any athleticism,” another scout said.
Rortvedt did not have a role. The Yankees want Jose Trevino’s pitchwhispering defense and the upside of Austin Wells’ lefty bat as their catcher tandem. Rortvedt bats left, but is no threat as a hitter. He was a good enough catcher though that the Yankees thought they could get something for him in a trade — and they needed to deal him because Rortvedt was out of options and would not survive waivers if they tried to sneak him through to the minors.
Berti, who cannot be a free agent until after the 2025 campaign, feels like an excellent exchange for the back of the roster, especially because in Carlos Narvaez they feel they have the kind of defense-first catcher who could be promoted if either Trevino or Wells are injured. And because the Yanks were looking for this kind of multi-pronged player even before injuries to LeMahieu
and Oswald Peraza. They made offers to Kiké Hernandez (who went to the Dodgers) and Amed Rosario (Rays).
They did not want to spend a lot on this and Berti is due $3.625 million in 2024 because they are at a luxury-tax position in which they have to pay 110 percent on every dollar added. Thus, Berti, all in, will cost them about $7.6 million. But unlike the Marlins, the Yankees are a winnow team. They had a specific need for what someone such as Berti brings even before injuries thinned the left side of their infield in the present. So, turning a third catcher with no fit for a player who helps in a variety of right-now ways is a success for the Yankees.
Cam Thomas’ rapidly growing game on offense. Nic Claxton on defense. And, in the end, just enough plays for the Nets to pull out a 122-119 overtime win over Washington before 15,159 Wednesday at Capital One Arena.
The Nets (28-45) were winless in four prior overtime games this season before finally breaking through behind their two young standouts, neither at 100 percent.
Thomas, who missed Monday’s win in Toronto with a bad back and was in question for Wednesday, poured in 38 points to tie Jordan Poole for game-high honors. But even more encouraging, Thomas had seven assists to beat blitzes and find his teammates.
Claxton, who began the game with a face mask to protect a broken nose, but discarded it, had 17 points, 13 boards, a pair of steals and three blocks. He had one on Dani Avdija’s layup attempt with 11.5 seconds left in regulation, and two more in the extra stanza to help win it.
“We just had to lock in as a team. We knew what the task was at hand … it came down to getting stops,” Claxton said.
“He’s just mentally tough,” interim coach Kevin Ollie said. “He’s showing that he’s a leader and captain of our team. And we need guys that continue to step up and be that and not just talk about it, but be about it. He’s showing with action, not just words. So very proud of him. Just very proud of the team.”
Dennis Schroder had 21 points and eight assists. Mikal Bridges added 19 points, six boards, four assists, two steals and two blocks.
Brooklyn won consecutive road games for the first time since Nov. 3.
“Just getting stops,” said Thomas, who downplayed his maturation as a passer. “I’ve grown as a passer because I’m playing more. If anybody doesn’t really play much and they get in for a few spurts, really nobody’s looking to pass when they first get in. They’re looking to get some buckets. So I’d say really it’s just me playing more, I have more opportunity to find the guys.”
After Claxton’s block sent the game to overtime at 112-all, his tip dunk 24 seconds into the extra frame gave Brooklyn the early lead. Then the center blocked Kyle Kuzma’s turnaround.
After Thomas hit a midrange turnaround for a 116112 lead, Claxton blocked Kispert’s layup attempt. Thomas’ 16-foot pull-up gave the Nets a six-point lead with three minutes left in the overtime, and they never surrendered it.
“CT said it. T-Wat said it. Let’s get kills,” said Ollie, referring to Thomas and forward Trendon Watford. “And a kill for us is three stops in a row. And we started that overtime with three stops in a row,” Ollie said.
Brooklyn did let Washington pull within two on buckets by Poole and Kuzma; after Thomas missed on a drive he got whistled for a foul. But Kispert made just one of two with 13.5 seconds left, and Schroder calmly sank both the other way.
Dorian Finney-Smith missed two huge free throws with four seconds left, but stole the ball from Avdija to seal it.