Yankees news: Why did Yankees sign pitcher Tyler Duffey?

Wednesday August 31, 2022

The Bronx, New York — The Yankees are out to sign right-hander Tyler Duffey. A tweet by Jon Heyman, who works with the New York Post, on Wednesday revealed that both sides have reached a deal to this effect. The reliever would be eligible for postseason listing only if the contract is officially announced by midnight.

Duffey left the Twins on August 10 this year and entered into a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers two days later. However, he opted out within six days of signing the deal.

Here’s what MLBtraderumors has to tell about him:

This has been a hard season for Duffey, who was let go by the Twins, the only team he had ever played for, earlier this summer. Duffey was once a great set-up man in Minnesota. From 2019 to 2020, he pitched 81 2/3 innings with a 2.31 ERA, 34.2% strikeout rate, and 6.1% walk rate. In 2021, his results went downhill, and in 2022, they went all the way down.

Duffey, who was 31 at the time, still had a good ERA of 3.18 in ’21, but he did so with less speed and strikeout and walk rates that were going in the wrong direction (24% and 11%, respectively). Things went from bad to worse this season. Duffey had a 4.91 ERA and gave up an average of 1.64 home runs per nine innings pitched. He lost a high-stakes spot with the Twins and mostly did lower-stakes work until he was let go.

This year, Duffey’s average fastball speed is only 92.3 mph, which is his lowest since he became a full-time reliever. His strikeout rate of 21.1% is also at its lowest since 2018. He’s had trouble getting ahead in counts, though, and it’s cost him. At his best, Duffey struck out just shy of 68% of his opponents on the first pitch. In 2022, he only did it 60% of the time, which was the worst full-season mark of his career. Working behind in the count more than ever and pitching with a fastball that is almost two miles per hour slower than it was at its peak in 2019 hasn’t been a winning combination.

The Yankees also roped in 30-year-old righty Chi Chi Gonzalez on Tuesday. Gonzalez boasts a 9-24 career record with no saves. He has a 5.72 ERA and a 1.493 WHIP. The pitcher started two of four Brewers games this season.

Let’s see who are the other pitchers to become a part of the Yankees recently:

Right-hander Joey Gerber, July 25.
Left-hander D.J. Snelten, August 5.
Right-hander Harrison Cohen, August 19.
Right-hander Mason Vinyard, August 19.
Left-hander Chasen Shreve, August 27.
Left-hander Anthony Banda, August 28.

What do you think about the deal or the latest signing by the Yankees? Will it help or looks like a panic reaction to avert more defeats? Leave your comment for ardent fans.