The Yankees announced that right-hander Junior Fernández has been designated for assignment. The club has recently made their signings of Aaron Judge and Carlos Rodón official and needed to open a roster spot.
Fernandez, 26 in March, has spent most of his career as a Cardinal, getting sporadic opportunities with them since his 2019 debut. Over the past four seasons, he’s tallied 54 innings in the big leagues with a 5.17 ERA and a solid 49.4% ground ball rate. His strikeout and walk rates have both been subpar, however, coming in at 18.7% and 13.9%, respectively.
The fact that Fernández hasn’t been able to rack up strikeouts is surprising since he has elite velocity on his fastball. He averaged 98.8 mph on his four-seamer this year and 98.7 mph on his sinker. Per Statcast, that puts his velocity in the 98th percentile among qualified pitchers. He’s been better at getting punchouts in the minors but without improved results overall. Over the past two years, he’s thrown 58 2/3 Triple-A innings with a 5.22 ERA, despite striking out 27.1% of batters faced.
The Cardinals evidently ran out of patience with his lack of results, as he was designated for assignment in September. He was claimed by the Pirates and made three appearances for them down the stretch. In November, the Bucs also sent him to DFA limbo, with Fernández landing with the Yankees on a waiver claim.
The righty is still young and could turn things around, but he is now out of options and won’t be easily shuttled between the majors and the minors. But he does have just under two years of MLB service time, giving him plenty of cheap control that could appeal to clubs. The Yanks will have one week to trade him or pass him through waivers.
FARHAN claim incoming. Saving the offseason!!
I think this one will probably be too expensive for the Giants.
He will never pass the physical
Farhan claim incoming! Saving the offseason!
Hate to break it to you…. But there’s nothing he can do to save the offseason at this point. This has been an absolute disaster of an offseason for the Giants, period.
He can certainly save this off-season. He just has to find Doc Brown and go back to 1984, kidnap Mattingly, Strawberry and Franco before they become rookies and put them on the current team. Nah you are right. Not even 3 potential HoF players could save this team. They should punt the next couple of years anyway. Let the Padres runaway payroll catch up to them, while the Giants stock their farm. They can try to reboot when Soto is a FA in 2024-25 or the following year when Guerrero, Bichette and Tucker hit the market. Both years will have solid TOR pitchers available as well. The Giants are in a good position to be the next Astros. No way even Judge would be enough for them to catch the Padres and Dodgers. Cohen did them a huge favor.
So funny I seen this post and was going to say everything that you guys are saying!!! Lol!!! FARHAN dumpster diving genius!! Lol. Yay a one year wonder. Late innings lamonte was a no show… sf turning into Oakland 2.0
Get him back, Bucs.
Red Sox need this guy
Just making roster room for an impending Tatis, Jr. trade. /s
Man I hope you are wrong. Tatis is this generations ARod. Let some another team deal with his ego. Yankee fans had to endure ARod for so long. It’s not fair to now give them Tatis. Besides Boston really needs a SS. Let them have him. Peraza will hopefully be the Yankees answer at SS. Volpe reminds me too much of Hanley Ramirez. Guy thinks he can play SS but it turned out he couldn’t even play LF. His electric bat hides his defensive shortcomings in the minors. I have seen him play several times. Hanley Ramirez is a solid comparison. They should trade him while his value is high. I don’t understand some Yankee fans calling for Torres to be traded to make room. Why? He is a solid MLB 2nd baseman controlled for a couple more years. Trade the prospect for a table setting LF or a flamethrowing BP arm. I don’t understand how Cashman keeps his job. The Yankees already had the LF they need now but they gave Estrada to the Giants for nothing. If any other GM gave away so much young talent that become solid regulars for another team they would be shown the door. Cashman does it and gets an extension. Estrada, Whitlock, Kahnle, Stephan, and Torrens just off the top of my head. Everything the Yankees need in 2023 is right there in that list. I know Kahnle is from awhile ago but he was the beginning of Cashman’s decline. I won’t even go into an unnamed rookie 3rd baseman that Cashman held onto when his value was high.
If Tatis, Jr. is anything like a young A-Rod, I’ll take him and his baggage any day and move him to NY myself in a wheel barrel. Relax, Padres aren’t trading him.
The Yankees had an open spot for Judge, but they need two more for Kahnle and Rodon. I figured Junior Fernandez and Albert Abreu are the likely victims. Both will get claimed, although Junior did make it all the way to the Yankees, which means 26 teams passed on him. Not impossible he’ll slip through, which is what they’re hoping, but the teams who pick after the Yankees, like the Astros, Mets, Braves and Dodgers all will be intrigued by his arm. The Mets in particular seem to be fascinated by the Yankees surplus bullpen arms this off season. Also possible post the Rule 5 that other teams might jump in, including the Bucs trying to reclaim him.
They also can put Effross on the IL to clear a spot, since he’s out with TJ surgery.
IL starts opening day.
Being named after your Father is one thing, but naming your child “Junior” for the mere sake of it is quite another. I would have never forgiven my parents if they gave me a diminuitive baby name.
TrumboJumbo much better than JuniorTrumbo!
Hahahahaha I couldn’t even imagine that! It’s like having someone come up to you and pinch your cheek and say “Awww how cute!! Goochi goochi goo!”
Would you prefer to be JuniorTrumbo or JuniorJumbo? The latter is actually more humorous. I think if I was meeting someone named Junior for the first time, I’d assume it was an ironic nickname, and someone Aaron Judge’s size would walk through the door. Oh, hi, uhh, I guess you’re Junior!
Hahahahahaha If I saw someone Judges size walk through the door and he said his name was “Junior” or “Tiny” I would probably just nod in agreement and awe and say “Yes Sir!” I kinda like JuniorTrumbo more because I could go by “JT” and just lie and say I was named after Justin Turner.
Trumbo-I wouldn’t mind if Ann Margret did that to me.
Now I’m gonna go scope her out in “Grumpier Old Men.” Thanks for the idea!
His parents were big Sopranos fans…
You’re probably right. I’m just referring to him as Corrado going forward.
Glad they weren’t Salvatore Bonpensiero fans…Forgot what they called him for short…I think it was “Kitty”..
Junior Wells is one of my favorite blues singers and no kind of baby.
Doesn’t count Fink! Amos Wells Blakemore Jr is his bonafide name!
It absolutely counts. He goes by Junior Wells.
George Herman Ruth Jr. is Babe Ruth. Nobody calls him George Ruth.
You was wrong, Mr. Dunson.
Hahaha Ok Fink you win! Personally I just call him “Jidge.”
And Junior Mints, too. They’re very refreshing.
Hahahahahahahah Oh man Junior Mints are the best!!!!
The Mariners should definitely put in a claim on him. He’d be a perfect reclamation project and we have had a great recent history with those types. Sewald and Sadler come to mind, and this guy throws 98 with movement.
Great aaa depth if he clears.
Movement, arm slot and command are more important than pure velocity. This guy obviously hasn’t mastered the first 3.
Go get ‘em back Cardinals
I watched this dude pitch for the Cardinals.. power plus arm. Didn’t get consecutive chances so I believe he is lacking a bit with experience.. I think he is a true power arm for a bullpen.. could possibly be the golden arm everyone looks for. Wished the Cards had kept him
Cards-He seems like he has the potential to be a good pitcher but the Pirates did not have room for him as they have a number of young pitchers with potential.
These type of players sometimes get into a roster crunch and possibly may never really get a good chance to show what they have.
I didn’t hear what happened with Junior Fernandez.
Do we assume he cleared waivers?