YOENDRYS GOMEZ CLAIMED OFF WAIVERS

The Yankees DFA'd Yoendrys Gomez, and now he's gone... off to LA.

The Los Angeles Dodgers went shopping in the Yankees’ clearance aisle and came away with right-hander Yoendrys Gómez, claiming him off waivers. The Dodgers conveniently had an open roster spot after giving Eddie Rosario the boot last week when Shohei Ohtani returned from paternity leave (presumably well-rested and more dangerous than ever).

Gómez, who first joined the Yankees as a fresh-faced teenager out of Venezuela back in 2016, climbed his way into their top-30 prospect rankings and earned a spot on the 40-man roster in 2020 — a move to shield him from getting swiped in the Rule 5 Draft. He finally made his big-league debut in 2023 and spent last season bouncing between the Bronx and the bullpen like a well-worn subway card.

In bits and pieces over three years with New York, Gómez posted a 1-1 record and a 3.09 ERA across 12 games — not bad for a guy who never quite got to unpack his bags.

YANKEES ARE MAKING BULLPEN ADJUSTMENTS

A little news for you all and it has to do with the Yankees bullpen. The Yankees have added some left-handed firepower to their bullpen, selecting Tyler Matzek to the roster and designating right-hander Yoendrys Gómez for assignment to clear space on both the active and 40-man rosters.

Matzek isn't just any bullpen arm—they're banking on a guy with postseason pedigree and a fastball that can still bring some heat. The move immediately upgrades a Yankees bullpen that, frankly, has been throwing glorified changeups—nobody currently averages over 94 MPH on their fastballs. Enter Matzek, whose four-seamer is sitting at a promising 94.6 MPH.

As Empire Sports Media noted: “The left-hander excelled in a bullpen role with the Atlanta Braves from 2020–2024, but injuries in the last few seasons have resulted in a decrease in fastball velocity and performance on the mound. Matzek, who was rehabbing from an injury in the Minor Leagues, had a 3.18 ERA and 28% K% through his five rehab outings.”

If the Yankees get the Matzek of old—or even a healthy remix—they might’ve just pulled off a sneaky midseason upgrade.

WHAT ELSE DO THE YANKEES NEED TO DO IN AN ALREADY GREAT OFFSEASON?

This offseason, the Yankees have done a lot of good things, and I couldn’t be happier with their approach. Sure, there might be a few more minor tweaks on the horizon, but overall, they’ve put themselves in a strong position heading into the season. Until they figure out how to move Marcus Stroman, any other move is likely going to be small filling in gaps rather than making waves.

Speaking of Stroman, there’s only one trade destination that makes sense to me: the St. Louis Cardinals. The financials work out well taking on his salary would still keep the Cardinals under last season’s $183 million payroll, and they could also move on from a seemingly declining Nolan Arenado. There’s been plenty of speculation connecting Arenado to the Yankees all winter, but personally, I’m not thrilled about that idea. However, if the Yankees packaged Stroman with Everson Pereira, it might be a more attractive deal for other teams. That’s the kind of move that could grease the wheels and make things happen. I actually wrote about this in my piece titled: THE YANKEES ARE DOING THAT THING AGAIN... 

But beyond Stroman, there aren’t a ton of pressing needs. The Yankees will probably focus on smaller-scale adjustments—like adding a backup catcher. With Jose Trevino traded earlier this winter, the team brought in defense-first catcher Alex Jackson from the Reds. That means Jackson could back up Austin Wells, or the Yankees could roll with someone like Ben Rice in that role.

Another thing to keep an eye on is the Yankees’ surplus of pitching. That depth is a luxury, especially this time of year, but it could lead to some difficult roster decisions before Opening Day. Not every arm can make the big-league club, especially with some pitchers out of minor-league options. Finding spots for guys like JT Brubaker or prospect Yoendrys Gómez could work. Or someone like Scott Effross.

Alternatively, the Yankees could leverage this pitching depth to upgrade another position—perhaps at third base—or replenish their farm system by dealing a pitcher before the season kicks off. 

However they choose to play it, the Yankees are in a good place, and I’m excited to see how they fine-tune this roster before Opening Day.

THE YANKEES NEED A SOLID LEFT FIELDER. THERE COULD BE A FIX

I think Aaron Hicks needs to be driven out to the deserts of Las Vegas with $20 bucks and a bottle of water and we just need to leave him there.  I remember screaming at my computer the days after the Yankees signed him to a 7-year, $70 million dollar contract.  It made no sense then and then aged horribly.  Not only can he not catch, but he also cannot play the field either.

The Yankees need a fix, and there may have one... or 2.  Our buds over at Empire Sports Media write:

"The Yankees must seek more competition in the outfield, even if it involves calling up Jake Bauers, a former top prospect excelling in Triple-A Scranton. General manager Brian Cashman might explore the trade market for solutions..."

The solution? Cody Bellinger.  Wow.

"As the Cubs are not expected to be highly competitive this year, the Yankees might be able to negotiate a trade for Bellinger...."

In return, the Yankees would send Yoendrys Gomez, Zach Messinger, and Chase Hampton to the Cubs. Gomez, a 23-year-old pitcher, has a 3.86 ERA across 16.1 innings with Double-A Somerset this year...

Messinger is currently playing in High-A with Hudson Valley, posting a 2.20 ERA across 16.1 innings....

Hampton, another right-handed pitcher, was a sixth-round draft pick in the 2022 MLB June Amateur Draft. This season, he has recorded a 4.61 ERA over 13.2 innings with High-A Hudson Valley."

Sure, it's a mock trade, but it's a good idea.  But if you're asking me, Jake Bauers needs to play, but not only that, keep him there.  At this point, according to MLB Trade Rumors:

"Bauers is indeed heading to New York, Kirschner and colleague Brendan Kuty write in further detail, but his contract has not yet been formally selected. The team is waiting on the results of an MRI that Judge underwent and could keep him on the taxi squad for now, depending on the results of Judge’s imaging."

Look, it's the end of April, not October. We have some time to play around and figure out what works.  If things are terrible by the trade deadline, yeah, the idea of Bellinger probably makes better sense, especially if the Yankees are making a run.  But right now... we gotta just give the kids a shot.

Love the ideas flowing Yankee fans.  Let's turn this season around!

COULD WILSON CONTRERAS DISPLACE GARY SANCHEZ?

One of the last remaining players of the 2016 World Champion Chicago Cubs is catcher Willson Contreras. Word on the street is that Brian Cashman is interested in bringing the 29-year-old catcher to the Bronx. Would that move displace Gary Sanchez or provide a platooning opportunity of catchers that would include the Yankees carrying three catchers during the 2022 season? 

According to SI.com, "Contreras, 29, isn't perfect for the Yankees—he's another right-handed bat that strikes out quite a bit—but he hits for power, plays solid defense behind the dish and has produced better numbers recently than Sánchez."

Defense would be nice to have behind the plate for a change of pace. Sanchez just isn't athletic and has given up his share of ball games because of his poor defense and appearingly lackadaisical performance behind the plate. Plus perhaps Contreras could ignite this team and provide assurance to Yankee pitchers who tend to prefer backup catcher Kyle Higashioka to Sanchez.

The Yankees will have to be prepared to give up some prospects for the veteran Cub catcher. "Weeks ago, The Athletic's Jim Bowden created a trade proposal for New York to acquire Contreras, sending pitching prospects Deivi García and Yoendrys Gómez along with Sánchez to Chicago," reported SI.com. I don't think they will add Sanchez to a trade like that but instead keep him to DH and fill-in for Contreras if the Cub catcher can make things happen early.

Source: NY Post

Could this be the last stand for Sanchez? I really hope so. He has had more chances than anyone in the league and has not proven himself. He doesn't hustle, he makes the team vulnerable and he can't hit consistently. Time for the Yankees to make room for someone else and that someone else could be Contreras. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof