Oscar

Gonzalez

The Athletic’s Dennis Lin reports Gonzalez has been released to pursue a more lucrative opportunity overseas in Japan. It’s a definite hit to San Diego’s outfield depth, but the 27-year-old, who got into 21 games earlier this year for the Padres, doesn’t have much of a path to playing time in the majors with franchise cornerstones Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. fully healthy.

Gonzalez, 27, is heading back to the minors now that Jake Cronenworth (ribs) is healthy enough to come off the injured list. Gonzalez will be back at some point as a bench option for the Padres this summer.

Gonzalez gets the call to head to San Diego with Jackson Merrill (hamstring) landing on the injured list. The 27-year-old outfielder hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since getting into 145 games for the Guardians from 2022-2023. He was hitting .290 with three homers and one steal in seven games this season at Triple-A El Paso.

The Padres needed to add Gonzalez to the 40-man roster or risk losing him as an opt out, and since he’s swung the bat well in the spring and to start the year with the Chihuahuas, San Diego did just that. He could be an option for the Padres off the bench at some point.

The Padres signed Oscar Gonzalez in the off-season, and he had a nice spring, going 22-for-55 (.400) with three RBI, 11 strikeouts, and two walks. He has gone just 3-for-18 in Triple-A so far, but the two home runs demonstrate the power potential he possesses, and there is a chance he gets a shot with the Padres at some point this season.

No word on whether the contract includes an invite to spring training, but it seems likely. The 26-year-old spent 2024 in the Yankees’ organization and hit .294/.333/.469 in his 286 at-bats with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He’ll need to have a great spring in the Cactus League to make the San Diego roster.

Gonzalez will remain in the hospital overnight for observation and rest. The 26-year-old outfielder fouled a ball off of his face in the second inning and went straight to the ground in pain. He was able to be carted off the field, but will be sidelined for at least a month. Gonzalez had a solid spring camp going 15-for-46 (.326 AVG) with seven RBI and just nine strikeouts. It’s a tough break for the young prospect who will spend most of his 2024 season with the Yankees Triple-A affiliate.

Gonzalez is 8-for-25 with a 5/3 K/BB in 28 plate appearances. The Yankees claimed Gonzalez off waivers from the Guardians before they added Alex Verdugo, Juan Soto and Trent Grisham and then put him back on waivers afterwards. Since he cleared waivers then, he’s probably destined to open 2024 with the club’s Triple-A affiliate. However, he will be a major league option if an outfielder is forced to the IL.

Gonzalez went unclaimed on waivers and will remain with the Yankees as extra organizational depth. There isn’t much of a path to regular at-bats for him in New York following their recent offseason additions of Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo and Trent Grisham.

The Yankees have added Juan Soto, Trent Grisham and Alex Verdugo to their outfield since picking up Gonzalez, so while he made plenty of sense as a waiver claim seven weeks ago, he no longer seemed like any kind of threat to make the Opening Day roster. The 26-year-old Gonzalez hit .269/.299/.413 in 562 plate appearances for the Guardians over the last two seasons.