This season, the New York Yankees faced a shortage of catchers due to injuries. Jose Trevino left the season mid-way due to a wrist injury as he opted for a surgical route. Moreover, the front office failed to provide some relief during the trade deadline, which ultimately pushed the team to look out for in-house and homegrown options.
Subsequently, the New York Yankees called up Ben Rortvedt and prospect Austin Wells from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Since the promotion, Ben has been the team’s regular starter alongside Kyle Higashioka. However, Rortvedt has not been able to perform up to his standards on the plate as well as behind the plate. He is apparently not getting along with ace Gerrit Cole, as well.
Aaron Boone Reacts To Gerrit Cole’s Aggressive Gestures Towards Ben Rortvedt
New York Yankees ace pitcher Gerrit Cole seems to be not getting along with the team’s new catcher, Ben Rortvedt. The relationship between a pitcher and his catcher is often described as one of the most critical and intimate connections in baseball. The two players must work in perfect harmony, with the catcher calling pitches and the pitcher executing them to perfection. When tensions arise within this dynamic, it can have a highly significant impact on the team’s performance. However, Cole and Rortvedt have been at a crossroads per se. Many times, the pitcher has had animated conversations with the catcher in the bullpen. Ben, on his part, has fumbled for an awful lot of time while catching for Cole.
Jomboy asked Boone why Cole is so hard on Rortvedt pic.twitter.com/o5YwCzTW0f
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 13, 2023
He seems to be somewhat intimidated by the Yankees ace. Last week, Gerrit Cole exited the field, shaking his head in deep disappointment after Ben Rortvedt fumbled behind the plate. Meanwhile, skipper Aaron Boone was asked to react on the duo’s tacky relationship during his weekly appearance on the Talkin Yanks podcast. Boone said Cole is competitive and always demands the best from his catchers. He may come as an intimidating figure during tense moments. Hence, the catchers have to stay prepared to bear his grunt. Boone added that while Jose Trevino got accustomed to it, Rortvedt would have to come around. It’s just one of the things that come along while being teammates with one of the most competitive and fierce pitchers in the league.
Yankees Skipper Discloses How Jasson Dominguez’s Injury Panned Out
During the same podcast episode, Aaron Boone was asked to reveal their side of Jasson Dominguez’s injury story. Apparently, the kid complained of discomfort during his debut day in Houston itself, which the Yanks ignored. Boone said that the team is not aware of the origin of the injury. It’s because Dominguez wasn’t complaining much.
Boone reveals how the Dominguez injury went down pic.twitter.com/lRvSsiE5k2
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 13, 2023
He was just playing like usual and felt a little soreness during the last weekend. Dominguez kept on receiving minor treatment throughout the next week. But on Saturday, hitting coach Sean Casey told Aaron Boone about the Martian not being able to pop the ball effortlessly. That’s when the Yankees scheduled an imaging scan, and the rest is history.
