Two New York Yankees relievers, Righty Clayton Andrews and lefty Victor González, have both cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A. Andrews was designated for assignment last week. Gonzalez cleared waivers and has been sent down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Yankees Relievers Clayton Andrews, Victor González Clear Waivers
The Yankees designated the left-handed reliever for assignment last week and then signed 34-year-old pitcher Tim Hill . Andrews didn’t play much in the majors this season and only made one appearance. He sported a 5.84 ERA across 24 2/3 innings in Scranton. Andrews has played for the Milwaukee Brewers and has been known for striking out batters and forcing them into groundouts. But he has had his issues with walking his opposition. This isn’t the first time that Andrews has been placed on waivers (it’s the second time this season). The only positive aspect when a player gets placed on waivers for a second time is that they are eligible to go on free agency versus being sent down to the minors. But it is still not certain where he will end up.
González is the other Yankee reliever who was also DFA’d last week. The southpaw reliever has gained quite a bit of major league experience, so he can refuse the assignment. But because it is not quite the amount to keep possession of his salary, he will continue on with the assignment that he has been presented with. González is now 28 years old and started off with the Yankees in an offseason trade, where prospect infielder Trey Sweeney was sent back to the Dodgers. González’s time spent with the Bronx Bombers didn’t go as planned.
While the reliever had a respectable ERA of 3.86, he did have some trouble with walking opposing batters and not striking out enough. He did put up solid ground-out numbers (55.1%), but his strikeout percentage has had a downfall. He has also experienced a drop in his velocity and the quality of his sinker. When he played for the Dodgers in 2020, he looked like the real deal in the bullpen. He showcased a 95 mph sinker and an impressive strikeout percentage as well as an appealing walk rate. But sadly, both knee and elbow injuries got the best of him. Because he was no longer available to join the minors, the Yankees had to DFA him if they wanted to bring him back to the minors. He will earn the chance to become a minor free agent at the end of this season.
