Guardians' Christian Bethancourt: Catches on with Cleveland
Rotowire
The Guardians claimed Bethancourt off waivers from the Rays on Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Bethancourt spent a large portion of the 2023 season as the Rays' No. 1 catcher and put up decent counting statistics over his 332 plate appearances (11 home runs, 49 runs, 33 RBI and one stolen base), but an ugly .225/.254/.381 slash line (74 wRC+) made his less useful at the plate from a real-life standpoint. Still, the 32-year-old graded out as a capable defender behind the dish and wasn't a complete zero with the bat, so he should at least make for a dependable backup option and short-side platoon mate in Cleveland for No. 1 backstop Bo Naylor.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Placed on waivers
Rotowire
The Rays placed Bethancourt on outright waivers Saturday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Bethancourt will join five teammates on the waiver wire in an effort from the Rays to clear space on the 40-man roster. The 32-year-old backstop slashed .225/.254/.381 across 332 plate appearances in 2023 and could be picked up by another team in search of a backup catcher.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Out of lineup again Wednesday
Rotowire
Bethancourt is not in the lineup Wednesday for Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Rangers.
Bethancourt also began Game 1 on the bench, although he did enter at catcher late after Rene Pinto was lifted for a pinch hitter. The Rays began leaning toward Pinto over Bethancourt behind the plate in September and that has carried over into the playoffs.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Remains on bench
Rotowire
Bethancourt will sit for the second straight game Saturday against the Mariners, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Bethancourt has hit just .240/.264/.380 over the last month, striking out 21 times to go with just two walks. Rene Pinto will get another start behind the plate.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Sitting Friday
Rotowire
Bethancourt isn't in the Rays' lineup Friday against Seattle.
Bethancourt will take a seat Friday after going 0-for-7 with five strikeouts across his last three games. Rene Pinto will start behind the dish and bat ninth.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Sitting again Wednesday
Rotowire
Bethancourt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Bethancourt and Rene Pinto have alternated starts over the past 15 games, but Pinto will make his second straight start Wednesday against Boston. Bethancourt has a .226/.258/.375 slash line with nine home runs in 94 games this season and should continue to split time with Pinto down the stretch.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Cedes start to Pinto
Rotowire
Bethancourt is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Red Sox.
Bethancourt will retreat to the bench after he caught all nine innings of Monday's 7-3 loss in the series opener while striking out in each of his three plate appearances. Rene Pinto will get a turn behind the plate while he and Bethancourt continue to work in a near-even timeshare at catcher.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Takes seat Sunday
Rotowire
Bethancourt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Rene Pinto will get the nod behind the dish in the series finale in Cleveland. Bethnacourt and Pinto have alternated starts at catcher over the past 12 games and look to be stuck in a near-even timeshare for now.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Out of Tuesday's lineup
Rotowire
Bethancourt is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Marlins.
Bethancourt and Rene Pinto have alternated starts behind the plate over the past eight games, and that trend will continue Tuesday after Bethancourt went 2-for-4 with a run during Sunday's series finale against the Yankees.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Out of lineup
Rotowire
Bethancourt will be on the bench for Saturday's game against the Guardians, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Bethancourt hits the bench after starting four of the last five games. He's seen his playing time slightly increase while Francisco Mejia (knee) is on the injured list, but it will be Rene Pinto who squats behind the plate Saturday.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Hits bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Bethancourt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals.
Bethancourt will be getting a breather Wednesday after he started at catcher in three of the Rays' last four games. Rene Pinto will step in behind the dish and form a battery with starting pitcher Jalen Beeks.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Notches two hits
Rotowire
Bethancourt went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored in Sunday's win over the Tigers.
Bethancourt tallied his first multi-hit effort since June 30 and had just his second extra-base hit in his last 20 games. The 31-year-old has had a rough go at the plate this year, slashing .218/.251/.368 with seven homers, 23 RBI, 33 runs and an 11:63 BB:K in 248 plate appearances. Despite his struggles, Bethancourt faces little competition for starts behind the dish since Francisco Mejia (knee) went down with a sprained knee July 20.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Out of Sunday's lineup
Rotowire
Bethancourt is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Astros, Ryan Bass of Bally Sports Sun reports.
Bethancourt is just 3-for-24 since the All-Star break and will take a seat Sunday for the second time in Tampa Bay's last three games. Rene Pinto will take over behind the plate to catch for opener Zack Littell.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Takes seat Sunday
Rotowire
Bethancourt isn't in the Rays' lineup Sunday against the Royals, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Bethancourt has essentially alternated starts with Francisco Mejia all season, and Sunday will bring up Mejia's turn behind the plate. Bethancourt is slashing just .167/.211/.167 across 19 plate appearances since the beginning of July.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Not in Saturday's lineup
Rotowire
Bethancourt will sit Saturday against Atlanta, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Bethancourt has looked like the Rays' clear top catcher over the last two weeks, starting eight of 11 games behind the plate prior to Saturday's contest. That run immediately followed a stretch in which Bethancourt and Francisco Mejia alternated starts for 12 consecutive games, however, so it's not clear that Bethancourt will start much more than half of Tampa Bay's games after the All-Star break.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Not starting Thursday
Rotowire
Bethancourt isn't in the Rays' lineup Thursday against the Royals, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
After an 0-for-4 performance with three strikeouts in Bethancourt's last outing, Thursday will be Francisco Mejia's turn to start behind the dish while batting eighth.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Sitting Tuesday
Rotowire
Bethancourt isn't in the Rays' lineup Tuesday against Baltimore, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Despite recording four hits in his last three games, Bethancourt continues to alternate starts with Francisco Mejia, who will get the nod behind the plate Tuesday and bat ninth.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Gets Tuesday off
Rotowire
Bethancourt is not in the starting lineup versus the Athletics on Tuesday.
Bethancourt has struggled mightily in the month of June with a .115/.148/.115 slash line over 27 plate appearances. He'll get Tuesday off against Oakland with Francisco Mejia starting behind the plate and hitting ninth.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Sitting Wednesday
Rotowire
Bethancourt is out of the lineup Wednesday versus the Twins, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Bethancourt and Francisco Mejia have now alternated catching duties over the past six games, with both backstops drawing three starts apiece. The playing time has generally tilted in Bethancourt's favor this season, so he should still be viewed as Option 1A behind the plate for Tampa Bay.
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Rays' Christian Bethancourt: Resting Monday
Rotowire
Bethancourt is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Bethancourt will take a seat for the series finale in Boston after he was behind the dish for three of the Rays' previous four games. Francisco Mejia will catch for starting pitcher Shane McClanahan on Monday.
