The Tampa Bay Rays addressed one of their thin spots of their roster Saturday, acquiring catcher Christian Bethancourt from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for minor-league outfielder Cal Stevenson and minor-league pitcher Christian Fernandez.
Bethancourt returned to the big leagues this year with the Athletics for the first time since 2017. In 56 games with Oakland, the 30-year-old catcher hit .249/.298/.385 with four homers and 19 runs batted in while backing up Sean Murphy. He spent 2021 with the Pittsburgh Pirates Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis and 2019 in South Korea.
To make room on the 40-man roster for Betancourt, pitcher David McKay was designated for assignment. He is scheduled to join the team on Monday when the team starts their next homestand against Boston.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
