White Sox general manager Chris Getz said Sunday he was pursuing a catcher, and he landed one Monday, acquiring seven-year veteran Joey Bart from the Braves. The Sox will be Bart’s third team this season.
Right-hander Duncan Davitt, whom the Sox designated for assignment, is heading to the Braves. To make room for Bart on the 40-man roster, the Sox designated outfielder Everson Pereira for assignment.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Bart hasn’t provided much offense this year, but it’s more than the Sox have gotten from their current catchers, Edgar Quero and Drew Romo. Including Reese McGuire and Kyle Teel, Sox catchers have combined for a major-league low .504 OPS. The next-closest team is the Yankees at .556
Bart is slashing .226/.303/.377 with four home runs in 41 games this season, which he began with the Pirates. After he played in 21 games, the Pirates sent him to the Braves. He became expendable in Atlanta because Sean Murphy is close to returning from a rehab assignment.
In fact, Bart could be on the move again once Teel returns from a high sprain of his left ankle. But that might not happen until mid- to late September. Quero has come on of late at the plate with a four-game hitting streak, including a 12th-inning walk-off single to beat the Yankees last week.
Davitt, 26, pitched one inning in the Sox’ 9-1 victory Sunday against the Rays. His only other appearance with the Sox was his major-league debut April 10 at Kansas City. At Triple-A Charlotte this season, he had a 6.22 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings over 21 appearances (10 starts). Davitt made his major-league debut on April 10 at Kansas City (1.0 scoreless IP) in his only other appearance with the White Sox this season.