Ohtani has landed! Or he never took off? The Dodgers made the biggest splash in major league history to end the week of Winter Meetings. Our Matthew Pouliot covered all the ramifications in his column on Saturday. In this hot stove recap, we’ll look at some bullpen moves that have taken place over the last couple of days.
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Yankees Acquire Victor González from Dodgers
The Dodgers sent relief pitcher Victor González and infield prospect Jorbit Vivas to the Yankees to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for their signing of Shohei Ohtani. In exchange, the Yankees traded infield prospect Trey Sweeney to Los Angeles. The move bolsters the bullpen for New York, adding a much-needed left-hander into the mix. The 28-year-old southpaw missed the 2022 campaign recovering from elbow surgery. He tossed 33 2/3 innings for the Dodgers last season, posting a 4.01 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 30/10 K/BB ratio. González is a ground ball specialist, generating grounders at a 54.3 percent rate. That’s a skill that will be useful in Yankee Stadium. He also limits baserunners with a 7.4 percent walk rate. González flashed elite skills during the shortened 2020 season, including a 15.5 percent swinging-strike rate. Perhaps another year removed from elbow surgery can help him take a step back in that direction when it comes to missing bats. In Vivas, the Yankees get a quality second base prospect with excellent contact skills, hitting .280/.391/.436 with 12 homers and 21 steals across 491 plate appearances in Double-A last season. With Gleyber Torres entering his final year of arbitration before free agency, Vivas could play a part in the team’s future infield plans.
Aside from clearing a spot on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers add Sweeney, a shortstop taken 20th overall by the Yankees in the 2021 draft. The 23-year-old spent last season in Double-A, where he slashed .252/.367/.411 with 13 homers and 20 steals over 472 plate appearances. Sweeney’s strength has been his on-base skills, posting a walk rate of 13.8 percent in 2023. He can be an option at shortstop at some point if things don’t click for Gavin Lux.
Will Smith signs with Kansas City
Jeff Passan of ESPN reported Sunday that free agent left-hander Will Smith signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Kansas City Royals. The 34-year-old left-hander recorded a 4.40 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a 55/17 K/BB ratio across 57 1/3 innings with the Rangers last season while converting 22-of-27 save chances. Smith had one of his worst seasons while posting a career-low 24.3 percent strikeout rate. A strong 7.5 percent walk rate and 13.4 percent swinging-strike rate give hope for a rebound. With 113 career saves, the veteran closer could get the first chance to run with the ninth-inning role. The Royals had a committee of James McArthur, Taylor Clarke, and Carlos Hernández work save chances down the stretch, with McArthur posting the best ERA of the bunch at 4.63. The team also brought in Nick Anderson from Atlanta, who has shown incredible strikeout ability before and can figure into the closer mix.
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Andrew Chafin to the Tigers
The Tigers reunite with Chafin, who had an excellent season in Detroit in 2022. He started last year off on a good note, posting a 3.16 ERA in the first half with the Diamondbacks while converting eight saves. He stumbled in the second half, recording a 7.20 ERA in Milwaukee following a trade to the Brewers. The 33-year-old left-hander will look to bounce back as a key depth piece in the Tigers’ bullpen. Incumbent closer Alex Lange is expected to enter the season with the role after recording 26 saves in 2023.
Austin Hedges signs with Guardians
It wasn’t all relievers signing. The Guardians added depth at catcher by signing the veteran Hedges to a one-year, $4 million contract. The 31-year-old backstop is much better defensively than with the bat. He hasn’t hit .200 or better since 2018. Hedges slashed .184/.234/.227 with one homer and 16 RBI over 212 plate appearances with the Pirates and Rangers. He’ll back up young catcher Bo Naylor, who blasted 11 homers with five steals with a .809 OPS across 230 plate appearances with the Guardians in his first extended major league action.
