The Tampa Bay Rays acquired catcher Ben Rortvedt from the New York Yankees on Wednesday in a three-team deal that also included the Miami Marlins, according to a source. The Marlins landed prospect Shane Sasaki from the Rays and prospect John Cruz from the Yankees. Rortvedt, 26, was out of minor-league options and wasn't going to make New York's Opening Day roster as a third catcher, so he now moves to Tampa, where he's expected to be the backup to starter Rene Pinto. He is more of a defense-first catcher and has hit just .146/.234/.255 with five home runs and 11 RBI in 71 major-league games in two seasons with the Yankees and Minnesota Twins. Rortvedt will be off the fantasy radar in two-catcher and AL-only leagues unless Pinto gets hurt and misses time.

New York Yankees catcher Ben Rortvedt, who worked almost exclusively as right-hander Gerrit Cole's personal catcher last year when he won the American League Cy Young, is likely to either be traded or outrighted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to start the year with Jose Trevino and Austin Wells expected to split the playing time behind the dish in 2024. Rortvedt is considered a better defender than Wells, but Wells is the superior hitter, which has given him the apparent leg up on the competition. Rortvedt is out of minor-league options. Even more telling has been the fact that Cole has been working with Wells, and not Rortvedt, in spring training. The 26-year-old Rortvedt hit just .118/.241/.221 with two home runs in 79 plate appearances for the Yankees in 2023.

New York Yankees catcher Ben Rortvedt (shoulder) underwent surgery on Wednesday to address an aneurysm of the posterior artery near his left shoulder. Rortvedt will be held out of all baseball activities for at least a month and hopes to make his debut in pinstripes in 2023. The 25-year-old was part of the Gio Urshela-Gary Sanchez haul, which sent Rortvedt, Isiah Kiner-Falefaand Josh Donaldson back to New York. As of now, that trade has not been too promising for the Yankees. The catcher hasn't played in the majors since 2021 with the Twins and has been obliterated by injuries. He managed to play in 48 games this past season and spent most of his time in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Rortvedt slashed .221/.307/.396 with a .703 OPS and six home runs. Once he returns, the Wisconsin native will likely be used as organizational depth.