The Yankees have designated lefty Nick Ramirez for project, per a crew announcement. His spot on the 40-man roster will go to fellow lefty Tanner Tully, whose contract is being chosen from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Supervisor Aaron Boone introduced not way back that Tully could be chosen however didn’t disclose a corresponding transfer.
It’s a considerably stunning DFA, given Ramirez’s strong efficiency in 2023 and robust spring displaying. The 34-year-old logged 40 2/3 innings out of Boone’s bullpen final 12 months and recorded a 2.66 ERA. His 16.3% strikeout price was properly shy of the league common, however Ramirez’s 5.2% stroll price was excellent and his 47.4% grounder price was sharp as properly. This spring, he pitched 10 1/3 innings and allowed 5 runs on 9 hits and a stroll with 9 strikeouts and an enormous 62% ground-ball price.
Ramirez didn’t make the Opening Day roster with the Yankees, nonetheless, and evidently in the intervening time anyhow, they like to show to Tully so as to add some size within the bullpen somewhat than the extra easy transfer to recall Ramirez. In doing so, they’ll now have per week to commerce Ramirez, try and cross him via outright waivers or launch him. He’s been outrighted beforehand in his profession, so he’d have the ability to reject an outright project even when he clears waivers.
In elements of 4 huge league seasons between the Tigers, Padres and Yankees, Ramirez has tallied 151 1/3 innings with a 4.04 ERA and fielding-independent marks that roughly help that stage of efficiency (4.15 FIP, 4.33 SIERA). He doesn’t throw exhausting, sitting 90-91 together with his fastball, and his 19.3% strikeout price is beneath par. However Ramirez has strong management and ground-ball tendencies, simply as he confirmed in 2023, and has nearly no platoon cut up. Ramirez is in his closing minor league possibility 12 months and has 4 years of membership management remaining.
