Rays’ acquisition of veteran catcher results in Ben Rortvedt's inevitable demise

It's a bittersweet day for Rays' fans. Although backup catcher, Ben Rortvedt, has struggled mightily so far this season, it's still sad to see a hard-working player depart from the club in this manner. In order to fill the lefty's role, the Rays have acquired former first round pick, Matt Thaiss from the Chicago White Sox.

Rays trade minor league outfielder Dru Baker for veteran catcher Matt Thaiss

Tampa Bay's front office struck a deal to acquire veteran backstop, Matt Thaiss from the White Sox. The left-handed catcher was originally drafted 16th overall by the Angels in 2016. He made his MLB debut as a 24-year old in 2019, but he hasn't been able to make his mark yet in this league.

As a member of the Angels, Thaiss his .208 with 22 home runs in 245 games spanned over six seasons. That averages out to only 40 games per season for the 5'11 catcher. Therefore, a backup role would be ideal for him and hopefully he can catch fire in a Rays' jersey.

The return for the White Sox was a 25-year old outfielder from Texas Tech University. Dru Baker was drafted by the Rays in the 4th round of the 2021 draft. The speedy outfielder has been an above average slugger throughout his professional journey, producing a .291 AVG in five seasons. Baker has also swiped over 100 bases during his minor league tenure which is surely an attribute that attracted the rebuilding club.

With the overload capacity of outfield depth in the Rays' system, the need for a reliable backup catcher was much more pressing. Both Rays' backstops are hitting .200 or less, as Danny Jansen has climbed to the Mendoza Line with five hits in his last five games. However, Rortvedt is slashing an unacceptable .100/.194/.117 with only six hits in 60 at-bats.

Thaiss isn't an All-Star at the plate, but his average has actually been better than both Jansen and Rortvedt this season. In 35 games, the University of Virginia product is hitting .212 with a home run and eight RBIs. In regards to his defense, he's leading the major leagues in assists with a total of five. The talented athlete has also seen time at first base and third base in his career, making him much more flexible than Ben Rortvedt.