The Braves keep acquiring catchers.
The team traded for Stephen Vogt late Friday night, picking him up from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for minor-league first baseman Mason Berne.
Vogt was added to the active roster Saturday afternoon and is available for the Braves in Saturday night’s game against the Rays. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy was designated for assignment.
The Braves announced Vogt’s acquisition after midnight Saturday morning.
“It’s just a matter of catching Drew (Smyly) tomorrow,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said Saturday. “He’ll be available off the bench. Similar to Joc (Pederson, who was acquired Thursday but did not start Friday’s game). I’m sure it’s been a busy 24 hours for him, or less than that since he found out and everything was finalized. He had to pack things up and head cross country.”
A two-time All-Star, Vogt appeared in 52 games for the Diamondbacks this season, hitting .212 with five homers and 17 RBIs while drawing 18 walks. Vogt, 36, is scheduled to start Sunday, making him the seventh catcher to start for the Braves this season, tying a franchise record set by the 1929 Boston Braves.
“I know he’s been around awhile, but I haven’t seen a whole lot of him personally,” Snitker said. “He had a pretty good July offensively. He’s an experienced guy. We’re looking to piece things together until we get Travis (d’Arnaud) back.”
Snitker said a week ago that d’Arnaud was making strides and had begun swinging with two hands again. The Braves catcher has been on the IL with a left thumb injury since May 1, but was hitting .220 with two homers and 11 RBIs before the injury, surgery.
Since the Braves lost d’Arnaud, they have acquired catchers Kevan Smith, Lucroy and Vogt. Jeff Mathis also had a short stint with the Braves after he signed in March. William Contreras and Alex Jackson also have caught for the Braves this season.
A nine-year major league veteran, Vogt has batted .247 in 698 career games with Tampa Bay (2012), Oakland (2013-17), Milwaukee (2017), San Francisco (2019) and Arizona (2020-21).
Vogt was named an AL All-Star in 2015 and 2016 with Oakland, when he hit .256 with 32 homers over 273 games in two seasons.
Berne, 25, hit .250 (3-for-12) with a homer in five games with the Florida Complex League Braves this season.
