Misc Yankee News

I think the selection of Gomez over Marinaccio is more of an organizational issue than a slight on Marinaccio.  The Yankees are faced with the possibility of having to create three 40-man roster spots in the next 30 days.  DJL will be activated this week (easily solved by designating Smith), but Cole and Dominguez will both require 40-man transactions once the complete their rehab, even if Dominguez doesn't come up to the big club.  Assuming we don't have any long term injuries (and Berti may be one), that means two folks will have to be designated, traded, etc.

Given this upcoming roster pinch, it is important to evaluate everyone on the roster that is considered a 2024 contributor.  Obviously they're not going to jettison "future pieces" that they have on the roster unless it's in a value trade (for example, Narvaez may be traded for prospects that are not yet requiring a 40-man spot, but they'd be selling low right now).  Gomez is the biggest question on the roster right now.  Is he ready to be a MLB reliver?  Is his stuff better than one or more of the "scrap heap" guys we have on the roster right now, thus making them expendable?  Can he give you "once through the order" and bounce back in 2 days?  Does his stuff play up in the pen?  Can he be the main innings eater if we happen to lose a starter before Cole comes back and we need a "bullpen game"?

I anticipate the Yankees keeping Gomez up until Cole returns and giving him pretty regular work.  They'll want to see what he can provide either for this team or they're showcasing him for a trade to clear a 40 man spot.  Basically, he's competing against Santana and Tonkin for an eventual roster spot.  If he can be an upgrade over them, great.  If not, Cashman is going to start prospect hunting to see what he can get for Gomez.

Feels like a no brainer now.

Royals Return Rule 5 Pick Matt Sauer To Yankees
By Nick Deeds | May 26, 2024 at 1:54pm CDT/ MLB Rumors

The Yankees announced this afternoon that right-hander Matt Sauer had been returned to the organization by the Royals. The 25-year-old was selected by Kansas City with the second-overall pick in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft but was designated for assignment earlier this week. Evidently, Sauer cleared waivers, meaning the Royals had to offer Sauer back to New York for $50K. The Yankees pulled the trigger on that offer and have assigned him to Triple-A.

Sauer was New York’s second-round pick in the 2017 draft and had spent his career prior to the 2024 season climbing the minor league ladder before ultimately topping out at the Double-A level. The righty was impressive in 14 appearances (13 starts) at the level last year as he pitched to a 3.42 ERA with a 29.5% strikeout rate in 68 1/3 innings of work. That performance was clearly enough for the Royals to take a shot on Sauer, and he impressed in 10 2/3 innings of work during Spring Training with a 2.53 ERA and 13 strikeouts.

That spring performance was enough for the Royals to offer Sauer a spot on their Opening Day roster, and he responded by delivering solid results throughout the month of April with a 2.38 ERA in 11 1/3 innings of work. That being said, Sauer’s peripherals left something to be desired as evidenced by his 17% walk rate and 9.4% strikeout rate during that time. Unfortunately, Sauer’s results began to catch up to his peripherals in May as he was lit up to the tune of a 19.80 ERA in five appearances throughout the month, prompting the club’s decision to designate him for assignment.

Were the Royals still the rebuilding club many expected them to be entering the 2024 campaign, it’s possible they would have retained Sauer on the roster for longer in hopes he could right the ship. Unfortunately for the righty, Kansas City has played like anything but a rebuilding club this year with a fantastic 34-19 record that puts them in control of the top AL Wild Card spot and just 1.5 games back of the Guardians for first place in a surprisingly competitive AL Central division. Given the Royals arrival as contenders, the club evidently decided they could not afford to hide Sauer in its final bullpen spot.

That’s great news for the Yankees, who were able to re-acquire Sauer when he went unclaimed on waivers. Now back in the minors with his original club, Sauer figures to continue his development at the Triple-A level and await his next big league opportunity while serving as non-roster depth for New York alongside non-roster veterans such as Phil Bickford and Duane Underwood Jr.

The bullpen has performed better than most anyone expected, but I nevertheless do not feel totally secure in the collective moving forward.  I'd like to see more of Gomez.

I thought that they should have kept Gomez. The Yankees bullpen has overall pitched well, but there's always room for them to upgrade.