DONE DEAL AND SHOCKING UPDATE: Yankees Have Officially Sign Ex-Dodgers Key and Most Experienced Star After Surprisingly Cutting Their Key Reliever.

The New York Yankees’ offseason was highlighted by the winter’s greatest transaction, which saw them acquire slugger Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres in exchange for five players. As the 2024 season nears its halfway point, Soto has been worth his weight in gold, hitting.309 with 18 home runs and 56 RBIs.

Two lesser-known offseason additions for the Yankees came into clear focus Friday.

Four days after the Soto trade was completed, the Dodgers sent left-handed bullpen pitcher Victor González and second baseman Jorbit Vivas to the Yankees for shortstop Trey Sweeney. In February, the Dodgers traded another left-handed reliever, Caleb Ferguson, to the Yankees for two minor leaguers.

In April, the Yankees signed Phil Bickford, a third former Dodgers reliever, to a minor league contract. None of the movements were earth-shattering on the scale of an All-Star slugger, but it was an intriguing coincidence.

The same was true for Friday’s transactions.

In exchange for one former Dodgers reliever, the Yankees designated González for assignment and purchased Bickford’s contract from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

González, 28, had pitched effectively. Left-handed batters batted just.143 against him, while righties hit just.170. Overall, he went 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA in 27 bullpen appearances.
Bickford, 28, has pitched well in Triple-A, going 2-2 with a 2.93 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 27.2 innings. He had essentially resolved the walk troubles that plagued him throughout the 2023 regular season, which he divided between the Dodgers and the New York Mets.

The trade leaves Ferguson and newly acquired veteran Tim Hill as the only lefties in the Yankees’ bullpen for the weekend series against the Atlanta Braves.
In addition to returning Bickford to the majors for the first time since September, the Yankees brought up right-handed pitcher Yoendrys Gomez from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The Venezuelan right-hander had appeared in one game with the Yankees each of the previous two seasons, surrendering no runs. In 12 starts and 46 innings in Triple-A, Gomez went 2-3 with a 3.13 ERA.

Teams often rotate bullpen pitchers to keep their best players fresh during the regular season, especially before facing a new opponent. However, cutting connections with González, for whom the Yankees had given up on a viable prospect (Sweeney) only six months prior, is exceptional.

The Yankees now have seven days to trade González or put him on outright or unconditional release waivers.