The New York Yankees reportedly claimed reliever Matt Gage off waivers from the Houston Astros Monday, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Gage, 30, is a left-handed reliever. He's spent limited time at the big league level but has performed well across 16 total appearances.
Gage made his MLB debut in 2022 with the Toronto Blue Jays. He recorded a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings of work that season. Gage ended up in Houston during the 2023 season, and pitched to a 2.70 ERA over 6.2 innings.
Gage's upside is intriguing. The Yankees' impressive ability to develop bullpen arms could lead to a big season for Gage. Of course, it still remains to be seen if he will receive a big league opportunity to open the 2024 campaign.
Yankees' 2024 outlook
The Yankees missed the postseason in 2023. It was a disappointing campaign for New York.
The starting rotation was decimated by injuries, while the offense struggled throughout the season. Of course, Aaron Judge missing a significant amount of time due to injury certainly did not help matters.
Now the Yankees are looking to rebound. They acquired star Juan Soto to improve the lineup and add another superstar to the Aaron Judge-led offensive attack. New York has also added important players such as Marcus Stroman and Alex Verdugo this offseason.
Still, the Yankees are open to adding more depth. With the exception of their strong bullpen in 2023, depth was a concern. With that being said, adding more bullpen pitchers is never a bad idea, so the decision to claim Gage is understandable.
It will be interesting to see how the Yankees approach the remainder of the offseason. It would not be shocking by any means to see New York sign at least one more notable starting pitcher.
Follow Us
Subscribe
