Headlines

  • Padres Plan To Reduce Payroll To Around $200MM; Front Office Changes Possible
  • Marlins Place Eury Perez On 15-Day Injured List, Select Jeff Lindgren
  • Sandy Alcantara Shut Down For Rest Of 2023 Season
  • Brandon Lowe To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Kneecap Fracture
  • Rays Promote Junior Caminero
  • Sean Doolittle Announces Retirement
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Yankees Claim Junior Fernandez From Pirates

By Steve Adams | November 18, 2022 at 3:23pm CDT

The Yankees announced they’ve claimed reliever Junior Fernandez off waivers from the Pirates. Pittsburgh has designated him for assignment on Tuesday.

Fernandez will bring a blistering fastball to the Yankees — albeit one that has been difficult for the 25-year-old to command and that has not resulted in many strikeouts. Through 54 Major League innings to date, mostly with the Cardinls, Fernandez carries a tepid 5.17 ERA with a pedestrian 18.7% strikeout against a 13.9% walk rate. He’s generated a strong 13.6% swinging-strike rate in his career, however, and his average heater has crept up from 97 mph as a rookie in 2019 to a whopping 99 mph in this past season’s 18 2/3 frames.

Prior to the 2022 season, Fernandez relied exclusively on a four-seamer as his fastball. In 2022, however, he shifted away from that four-seamer in favor of a sinker, holding his sweltering velocity and enjoying an uptick in an already strong ground-ball rate. He’s induced grounders at a 49.4% clip in his career but sat at a gaudy 58.9% clip in 2022. The newly adopted power sinker and massive ground-ball rate is a profile for which the Yankees, in particular, have shown an affinity in recent seasons.

Fernandez is out of minor league options, so the Yankees will either need to attempt to pass him through waivers themselves at some point between now and Opening Day — or else commit to carrying him on their Opening Day roster. If he makes it through the winter on the 40-man roster, Spring Training will serve as an audition for him. In 83 career innings at the Triple-A level, Fernandez has a 4.12 ERA with a 27% strikeout rate against a 10.5% walk rate.

Share 0 Retweet 1 Send via email0

New York Yankees Pittsburgh Pirates Transactions Junior Fernandez

Tigers Claim Bligh Madris
Main
Rockies Extend Tyler Kinley
View Comments (44)

Comments

  1. fre5hwind

    10 months ago

    Good luck!

    Reply
    • CaptainJudge99

      10 months ago

      At least we got some bread crumbs back for Miguel Andujar.

      1
      Reply
      • fre5hwind

        10 months ago

        Yeah.

        1
        Reply
    • Hippyripper

      10 months ago

      Fastball is a great pitch for him, but where’s it going has always been the question

      Reply
  2. top jimmy

    10 months ago

    Why? There’s no room on the roster for a high ceiling guy like Ridings, but they will give a roster spot to this guy???

    2
    Reply
    • GhostofRandySavage

      10 months ago

      I think Ridings was out of options, could be wrong

      Reply
      • fourth_dimension

        10 months ago

        Fernandez is also out of options. That was a big reason why the Cardinals DFAd him late in the season, knowing that would be the case for 2023.

        1
        Reply
      • Michael Chaney

        10 months ago

        So is Fernandez

        Reply
      • mrmackey

        10 months ago

        I don’t think so, I think they were probably just not too optimistic about his health.

        3
        Reply
    • dobsonel

      10 months ago

      It’s the pass through Waiver game.

      4
      Reply
    • LordD99

      10 months ago

      Two possibilities: 1) Maybe they view Fernandez more highly, or 2) Because they lost Ridings, they’ll attempt to pass Fernandez through waivers at another point, in essence replacing Ridings.

      2
      Reply
      • RobM

        10 months ago

        @Lord, add in health. The know Ridings’ shoulder.

        Teams have been trying to pass players through waivers at the last minute in the hope they’ll succeed and they can keep them. The Yankees did that with Ridings and lost the bet; the Pirates did that with Fernandez and lost the bet.

        Fans always overreact to these type of moves.

        2
        Reply
    • RobM

      10 months ago

      Ridings had a memorable debut inning for the Yankees, was more spotty thereafter, and was on the IL all last year,

      Why do you love Ridings more than Fernandez?

      2
      Reply
      • slider32

        10 months ago

        These guys are what I call lightning in a bottle players, some hit, most miss!

        Reply
  3. Joe says...

    10 months ago

    Scouting report from a Pirates fan?

    1
    Reply
    • Gwynning's Anal Lover

      10 months ago

      I was surprised to see the Pirates let him go and knew he would be claimed. The Yankees have a good player that is only going to grow with the teams coaching staff. He hits around 93-95 consistently, has nice control, has a good curve and sinker. I think his AAA stats reflect more of his experimentation of new pitches than his actual ability. He does seem like a small frame and hoping he builds out some. The Yankees have a good player on their hands that the Pirates didn’t value as much. Shame.

      5
      Reply
      • Joe says...

        10 months ago

        Thanks

        1
        Reply
      • 3Rivers

        10 months ago

        Good Control?

        2
        Reply
        • Gwynning's Anal Lover

          10 months ago

          @3Rivers Very good control

          Reply
      • Four4fore

        10 months ago

        Hits 95-98 with sketchy control. Still a good pick up will again be DFAed in hopes he won’t be claimed.

        1
        Reply
        • RobM

          10 months ago

          Yes. The Yankees will likely try and pick another moment to pass Fernandez through waivers. The Pirates might even try and claim him back.

          Fernandez had to pass through almost every team to get to the Yankees since the waiver claims work in reverse order. The same with Ridings the other day. 27 teams, or thereabouts, had to pass on Ridings for the Mets to claim him.

          2
          Reply
      • slider32

        10 months ago

        A good curve and sinker, sounds like they think he can get the big right handed bats in the East out. Yanks will try and tweak him like they did with Holmes.

        1
        Reply
    • Nacho Cheese

      10 months ago

      Only had a brief stint with the Pirates. Cardinals fan here, and I wouldn’t get excited about this pickup. Live arm, poor control. Frustrating pitcher to watch, but maybe they can tap into his potential. Highly doubt that he makes the roster out of Spring Training.

      Reply
      • RobM

        10 months ago

        …which is why he passed through waivers all the way to the Yankees. As I noted elsewhere, same with Ridings. The Mets pick 27th in the waiver pool. All the other teams passed on Ridings, including bad teams with bad bullpens. Partially it’s because they’re all trying to finalize 40-man rosters and now the non-tenders. That’s the best time to try and pass a guy like Fernandez and Ridings through, but it’s also a sign they’re viewed as fungible.

        2
        Reply
        • Four4fore

          10 months ago

          Don’t see fungible used very often, nice!

          1
          Reply
        • pittsburghbob69

          10 months ago

          An NFT is a “non fungible token”.

          Reply
      • slider32

        10 months ago

        Thanks, sounds a lot like Riddings!

        1
        Reply
  4. Samuel

    10 months ago

    Another young live arm for Blake to work with (assuming he returns). He won’t bring along all, but he brings along a lot.

    2
    Reply
    • CravenMoorehead

      10 months ago

      I was just going to say that Matt Blake could help harness this kid’s potential. Great pickup.

      Reply
  5. Unclemike1526

    10 months ago

    OK, Look outside and see if you see any flying pigs. Yankees claiming guys from the Pirates? It’s Mad I tell you, Mad!

    1
    Reply
    • Curly Was The Smart Stooge

      10 months ago

      The Pirates can’t attend their own garden, maybe the Yanks can make this guy grow?

      4
      Reply
  6. DaddyDan

    10 months ago

    Steal of the Offseason. World Series here we come!

    1
    Reply
  7. Tiger_diesel92

    10 months ago

    Another ground ball pitcher. The Yankees have been steering away from all those strikeout arms when they a prime Chapman, betances and miller.

    1
    Reply
    • utah cornelius

      10 months ago

      Huh?

      1
      Reply
      • pinstripes17

        10 months ago

        It’s pretty easy to understand, the Yankees seem to be prioritizing ground ball pitchers over strikeout pitchers. Read.

        Reply
  8. JustaFan 2

    10 months ago

    Never mind signing Judge. This move should put the Bronx Bummers over the top!

    Reply
    • TheDogDays

      10 months ago

      Time for a new joke book bud.

      Reply
  9. Poster formerly known as . . .

    10 months ago

    His HR% this year was 0.0%, and his opponent BA and SLG was .100, so it looks like batters’ main hope of getting on base was from a walk. If Blake can harness this guy’s stuff like he did with Holmes, he could be a much better bet than Ridings, who suffered from extensive shoulder problems.

    Reply
  10. emtae

    10 months ago

    AVERAGES 99? That’s nuts. Is there anyone else that averages a fastball that high? If he can figure out control (probably won’t if hasn’t by now) then look out. There’s a reason he keeps getting picked up. Clubs love a high heater

    Reply
    • Poster formerly known as . . .

      10 months ago

      Fangraphs puts his average fastball at 98.8 MPH, so they’re rounding up here.

      Jacob deGrom’s is 98.9 MPH, and there are twelve other pitchers ranging from 99.0 MPH to 100.9 MPH — on average.

      fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&…

      Reply
    • Poster formerly known as . . .

      10 months ago

      Fangraphs puts his average fastball at 98.8 MPH, so they’re rounding up here.

      Jacob deGrom’s is 98.9 MPH, and there are twelve other pitchers ranging from 99.0 MPH to 100.9 MPH — on average.

      Reply
  11. Clepto is an incel

    10 months ago

    Sounds like a case of claiming and hope to pass through waivers.

    Reply
  12. Bright Side

    10 months ago

    When an apparent middling relief pitcher gets the attention of the Yankees 99/100 it’s his GB rate.

    Reply
  13. Buuba ho tep

    10 months ago

    Another the man nuttings fault

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Padres Plan To Reduce Payroll To Around $200MM; Front Office Changes Possible

    Marlins Place Eury Perez On 15-Day Injured List, Select Jeff Lindgren

    Sandy Alcantara Shut Down For Rest Of 2023 Season

    Brandon Lowe To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Kneecap Fracture

    Rays Promote Junior Caminero

    Sean Doolittle Announces Retirement

    Tigers Name Jeff Greenberg General Manager

    Qualifying Offer Value To Land Around $20.5MM

    Shohei Ohtani Undergoes Elbow Surgery

    Marlins Claim Matt Moore From Guardians

    Rays To Announce New Stadium Deal

    Reds Designate Hunter Renfroe For Assignment

    Shohei Ohtani Out For Season With Oblique Strain

    Marcus Stroman To Pitch Out Of Bullpen

    Red Sox Fire Chaim Bloom

    Orioles Select Heston Kjerstad

    Jasson Dominguez To Undergo UCL Surgery

    Max Scherzer Unlikely To Return This Year Due To Teres Major Strain

    Ryan Mountcastle Being Evaluated For Shoulder Issue, Heston Kjerstad Promotion Possible

    Nationals Agree To Multi-Year Extension With Mike Rizzo

    Recent

    Padres Plan To Reduce Payroll To Around $200MM; Front Office Changes Possible

    Marlins Outright Chi Chi Gonzalez

    Big Hype Prospects: Caminero, Langford, Holliday, Carter, Marte

    Previewing The 2023-24 Free Agent Class: Righty Relievers

    Mike Trout Intends To Play For Angels In 2024

    Offseason Chat Transcript: Colorado Rockies

    Offseason Outlook: Kansas City Royals

    Submit Your Questions For This Week’s MLB Trade Rumors Podcast!

    Braves Designate Ehire Adrianza For Assignment

    Roric Harrison Passes Away

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Shohei Ohtani Rumors
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • MLB Player Chats
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version