Yankees get second left-handed reliever from Dodgers by acquiring Caleb Ferguson
NEW YORK — The Yankees acquired a left-handed reliever from the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second time this offseason, getting Caleb Ferguson in exchange for pitchers Matt Gage and Christian Zazueta.
The 27-year-old Ferguson was 7-4 with three saves and a 3.43 ERA in 61 relief appearances and seven starts last year, setting career highs with 60 1/3 innings and 70 strikeouts while walking 23. His fastball average velocity dropped 1.9 mph to 92.9 mph.
New York obtained 28-year-old Victor González from the Dodgers in December. The Yankees were seeking lefties after Wandy Peralta became a free agent.
Ferguson was 18-9 with five saves and a 3.43 ERA for the Dodgers from 2018-23. He had Tommy John surgery in September 2020 and returned to the mound in 2022, when he rejoined the Dodgers in mid-May and went 1-0 with a 1.82 ERA in 36 relief appearances and one start.
Ferguson avoided arbitration by reaching a one-year, $2.4 million contract with the Dodgers. He can become a free agent after this year’s World Series.
Gage, a 30-year-old left-hander, had a 2.70 ERA in five relief appearance with Houston last year in May and June and was 1-1 with a 4.58 ERA in 34 relief appearances for Triple-A Sugar Land.
Gage was designated for assignment by the Astros on Jan. 22 when Houston needed to open a roster spot for reliever Josh Hader and Gage was claimed by the Yankees seven days later.
Gage made his big league debut with Toronto in 2022 and was 0-1 with a 1.38 ERA in 11 relief appearances.
Zazueta, a 19-year-old right-hander, was 3-2 with a 3.29 ERA last year in 12 starts for the Dominican Summer League Yankees and is 3-5 with a 4.54 ERA in two professional seasons.
