7:06pm: New York additionally outrighted lefty reliever Clayton Andrews, per the transactions log at MLB.com. The Yankees had designated him for project final week once they signed Tim Hill. Andrews, 27, has solely made one large league look this yr. He has logged 24 2/3 frames in Scranton, permitting a 5.84 earned run common. The previous Brewer has managed strong strikeout and grounder charges however walked greater than one-fifth of batters confronted.
New York has outrighted Andrews twice this season. Gamers with a number of outrights have the flexibility to elect free company as an alternative of heading again to Triple-A. It’s not clear whether or not he’ll achieve this.
2:51pm: The Yankees introduced Wednesday that left-hander Victor Gonzalez handed via outright waivers unclaimed and has been assigned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was designated for project final week. The southpaw has sufficient large league service time to reject the project however not sufficient to retain the rest of his $860K wage upon electing free company, so he’ll doubtless settle for the project.
Gonzalez, 28, got here to the Yankees alongside minor league infielder Jorbit Vivas in an offseason commerce that despatched minor league infielder Trey Sweeney again to the Dodgers. His time on the large league roster didn’t go as hoped. Whereas Gonzalez posted a strong 3.86 earned run common in 23 1/3 frames, he did so whereas issuing extra walks (13.4%) than strikeouts (11.3%). He continued to publish terrific ground-ball numbers (55.1%), however that is the fourth straight season his strikeout fee has dropped. His 93.3 mph common velocity on his as soon as 95-mph sinker additionally marked a career-low.
Debuting with the Dodgers again in 2020, Gonzalez seemed like a possible bullpen powerhouse. Armed with that then-95-mph bowling ball sinker, he pitched 20 1/3 innings of 1.33 ERA ball with a superb 28.7% strikeout fee towards a microscopic 2.5% stroll fee — all whereas inducing grounders at a mammoth 69.2% clip.
Accidents have hobbled him since that debut and sapped his repertoire, nonetheless. He’s handled plantar fasciitis, knee troubles and most notably a bout of elbow irritation that finally led to arthroscopic surgical procedure. In three and a half seasons since that excellent debut effort, Gonzalez has mixed for a complete of 136 innings (majors and minors included).
Gonzalez was out of minor league choices, so the Yankees had no alternative however to designate him for project in the event that they needed the prospect to ship him to the minors. He’ll now head to Triple-A and attempt to earn one other look later within the season. He’d must be re-added to the 40-man roster for that to occur, in fact. Failing that, Gonzalez may have the fitting to change into a minor league free agent at season’s finish, given his standing as a participant with three-plus years of service who was outrighted off a 40-man roster.
