The New York Yankees‘ offseason gamble has not paid off. On Sunday, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reported that the team released left-handed reliever Victor Gonzalez, who had been pitching for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre since late June. This marks a disappointing end to Gonzalez’s stint with the Yankees, following his acquisition from the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2023.
The trade and expectations
The Yankees traded for Victor González and infield prospect Jorbit Vivas in exchange for shortstop Trey Sweeney, a 2021 first-round pick. The Dodgers, needing roster flexibility for offseason acquisitions like Shohei Ohtani and Joe Kelly, saw Sweeney as a valuable addition who could develop without occupying a 40-man roster spot. The Yankees, on the other hand, viewed González as a key bullpen asset, especially with lefty Wandy Peralta leaving for the San Diego Padres in free agency.
Victor Gonzalez, 28, had a promising résumé before joining the Yankees. He pitched 89.1 innings for the Dodgers between 2020 and 2023, maintaining a respectable 3.22 ERA, a solid ground-ball rate of 58.1%, and a 23.2% strikeout rate. With three years of club control, he seemed like a natural fit for the Yankees’ bullpen. However, things quickly took a turn for the worse.
Despite putting up a 3.86 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 27 appearances for New York, underlying metrics told a different story. His 4.2 K/9 and 5.0 BB/9 rates were well below league average, and his 5.96 FIP, paired with a .149 BABIP, indicated unsustainable success. The Yankees eventually designated Victor Gonzalez for assignment on June 21, a move that raised eyebrows at the time. He cleared waivers and stayed with Triple-A Scranton, where his struggles continued. In 21 relief appearances, Gonzalez posted a 4.50 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP, with his batted-ball luck running out, allowing nearly 12 hits per nine innings.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, seem to have made out well in the trade. At the 2024 trade deadline, they dealt Sweeney to the Detroit Tigers for right-handed starter Jack Flaherty, one of the season’s top pitchers. Sweeney quickly impressed at Triple-A Toledo with a 1.114 OPS in 11 games, earning a promotion to the majors. As of Sunday, Sweeney has slashed .211/.263/.408 with four home runs and a .971 fielding percentage in 25 games for the Tigers, establishing himself as their everyday shortstop.
The Yankees’ bullpen remains stocked for the remainder of the season, but the lack of reliable left-handed options is concerning. With Tim Hill and Tim Mayza the only lefties on the 40-man roster, the team faces uncertainty in high-leverage situations, particularly as the postseason looms. The only other possibility is moving Nestor Cortes Jr. into a relief role, but that decision will likely hinge on how the rest of the season unfolds.
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They decided to never play Sweeney any games at 3B, even once a week despite not having a 3B prospect if their own to stop him. Well, Detroit has no problem giving him a shot despite their own $144M disaster.