It is not unusual for the Yankees to be fluid and flexible with their bullpen, sending players down and signing relief arms to minor league contracts with the hopes of promoting them at some point.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Yankees acquired Phil Bickford on the free agent market, stashing him in Triple-A and looking to work with some of his strengths.
The 28-year-old has a fantastic fastball and 180.2 innings worth of experience at the MLB level, hosting a career 4.43 ERA. Last season, Bickford pitched 67.1 innings with a 4.95 ERA between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.
The Yankees Trade Nick Ramirez to the Dodgers
On Tuesday evening, the Yankees announced that they traded bullpen arm Nick Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash considerations.
Ramirez was designated for assignment on March 30, but the Yankees managed to find a trade partner and sent the 34-year-old out west. The lefty pitched 40.2 innings for the Bombers last season, posting a 2.66 ERA, 68.5% left-on-base rate, and 47.4% ground ball rate. This spring, he logged a 4.35 ERA over 10.1 innings.
While Ramirez had a good 2023 season, it is evident the Yankees wanted to go in a different direction and managed to get some value in exchange. The bullpen has been excellent to start the season, but manager Aaron Boone is always looking to promote rested pitcher and take advantage of minor league options.
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