After using six relievers in each of their last two games, the Yankees restructured their bullpen before Friday’s series opener against the Braves.
The reformation actually began Thursday when the Yankees signed the left-handed Tim Hill. The Bombers then lost to the Orioles, 17-5, and sent Ron Marinaccio to Triple-A. Marinaccio pitched in the blowout and in Wednesday’s 10-inning loss. With a minor league option, he was the only choice for a demotion.
Aaron Boone said the righty, who has 2.84 ERA but has allowed five runs in his last four games, handled the decision “like a pro, but he’s not thrilled about it, obviously.”
With Marinaccio gone, the Yankees added right-handers Yoendrys Gómez and Phil Bickford to the active roster on Friday. The team also designated Victor González for assignment. That last move was somewhat surprising, as the Yankees acquired the lefty and infield prospect Jorbit Vivas from the Dodgers for Trey Sweeney, another ranked infield prospect, over the offseason.
However, González was struggling, as was the rest of the bullpen. Prior to Friday, the unit had a 5.16 ERA over its last 29 games. The group recorded a 2.49 ERA over its first 48 games.
“A handful of guys trying to get going and trying to get that consistency going a little bit,” Boone said. “But really, today’s moves are more about just the last couple of days.”
With what they had not working and rested relievers in low supply, the Yankees shook things up with more than a month to go before the trade deadline. The club will likely add more established names to its bullpen before then, as they need at least one power arm.
For now, here’s a closer look at the moves the team made Friday.
González
Matt Blake told the Daily News that cutting González “wasn’t an easy decision.”
“I wouldn’t say it was cut and dry that he was the guy,” the pitching coach continued.
With a 3.86 ERA, González hasn’t been terrible on the surface. But he allowed five runs in his last three games, and his metrics have been terrible outside of a high groundball rate.
In particular, González’s K% dropped from 22.2% in 2023 to 11.3% this year.
“That was tough because I’ve really enjoyed Vic,” Boone said. “I respect him. He’s had some success in the league. It was hard getting him into a good role here. But definitely had some struggles with the strike throwing and not putting guys away a little bit and just felt like this was something over the long haul that we’re probably gonna have to address.”
Blake said that González, a four-year pro, probably won’t clear waivers.
“Someone will take a shot on him,” he said.
Bickford
With Ian Hamilton on the injured list (lat strain), Bickford gives the Yankees another righty with major-league experience. He recorded a 4.95 ERA and a 25% strikeout rate over 61 games with the Mets and Dodgers last season, and he posted a 2.93 ERA over the 22 games for the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate this season.
“He’s earned the right to get up here and hopefully help us out,” Boone said.
Added Blake: “It’s a funky slot, up-shoot four-seam from a low slot. He’s had pretty good success with his fastball over the last few years. For us right now, he’s a good fit for the pen.”
Boone also noted that Bickford can provide length. Half of his minor league appearances exceeded three outs this season.
Gómez
Gómez, considered the Yankees’ 17th-best prospect by MLB.com, has been working as a starter at Triple-A, recording a 3.13 ERA and 54 strikeouts over 46 innings. He’s also logged two scoreless major league appearances as a reliever between this season and last.
Boone has been impressed with the 24-year-old, though he and Blake noted that Gómez was promoted to provide “coverage.” That could mean a short stay in the Bronx.
“The couple of opportunities he has gotten up here, he’s done a nice job, including coming up earlier this year,” Boone said. “Threw the ball well, and he’s been throwing the ball pretty well down there this last month. So that’s been encouraging too. He’s got a lot of talent. He’s still very raw. He’s had some injuries in his young career, so he doesn’t have a ton of experience yet, but he’s got a lot of ability.”
Boone said that he believes Gómez can be a big league starter. With the Yankees developing him that way, it adds a wrinkle to any bullpen usage the team might have in mind for him in the short-term.
“It gets you a little bit jammed up when you have a starter in the bullpen,” Blake said. “You gotta be careful about monitoring their usage and back-to-backs and how many days off they have in between, that type of stuff.”
Nick Burdi
Another reliever, Nick Burdi, told The News that he threw a bullpen on Friday and that he plans to throw another on Monday. The righty has been sidelined since May 23 with his second case of hip inflammation this season.
Burdi added that he’s been feeling good and that he hopes to get in rehab games before the All-Star break.
