Catchers’ Impact: From Yankees to Other Teams

There are former Yankee catchers making their mark across the league, from Lewis Torrence with the Mets to Carlos Narvers in Boston. It’s interesting how some players shine in unexpected places.

Agustin Ramirez is showing promise with the Marlins, while veteran Jose Trevino is enjoying a resurgence with the Reds. Notably, these backstops have all been part of the Yankees’ roster at some point recently. Currently, J.C. Escarla is stepping in as the primary backup for Austin Wells.

Escarla left a mark during Saturday’s game against the Orioles, who suffered a 9-0 defeat. The left-handed catcher not only hit his second home run of the season—sending the ball deep into right field—but also guided Clark Schmidt through seven impressive innings without allowing a hit.

When asked which achievement excited him more, he simply replied, “both.”

“Today was great for JC,” commented Aaron Boone. “He’s been solid for us all season behind the plate, and we know his potential with the bat.”

Escarla kicked off the day with a sacrifice fly in the third inning, then added an RBI single in the sixth after reaching base on a misplay by second baseman Jackson Holiday. Boone noted that Escarla has that capability, saying, “He had a strong day at the plate, which set a good tone for me with the home run.”

With Escarla, Wells, and Rice all vying for time behind the plate, things can get a bit complicated regarding playing time. Boone was asked how they manage it, to which he simply said, “We’ll see. Just keep pushing.”

Still, Escarla certainly gave the Yankees every reason to keep him in the lineup, making life difficult for the Orioles’ Eflin, who exited the game early after three innings due to the pressure from Escarla and the others.

Escarla has shown his skills as a pitch framer, contributing to Schmidt’s impressive 2.79 ERA this season. Notably, Schmidt’s scoreless streak reached a career-high of 25¹/₃ innings during this game.

Interestingly, Escarla mentioned he wasn’t even aware of Schmidt’s no-hit bid until later in the game. “I was so focused on the game; I didn’t really pay attention to the scoreboard,” he explained, acknowledging how thoughts can sometimes sneak into your mind during such moments.

However, with Schmidt’s pitch count hitting 103 by the end of seven innings, the chance of a no-hitter faded, which was probably the only letdown for the Yankees in what turned out to be a generally successful outing against Baltimore.