The Yankees signed right-hander Phil Bickford to a minor league deal, as announced by the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Jon Heyman of the New York Post (X link) reports that Bickford will earn $1.1MM if he makes New York’s active roster.
Bickford is moving from one Big Apple borough to another, as the Mets just released the right-hander last week. Bickford won an arbitration case (for a $900K salary in 2024) with the Mets in February, but as per the terms of the CBA, going to a hearing meant that the salary wasn’t fully guaranteed until Opening Day. As a result, the Mets only owed Bickford around $217K, representing 45 days’ worth of termination pay. The $1.1MM salary linked to his minors deal could be prorated based on the amount of time (if any) Bickford actually spends on the Yankees’ roster, yet between the Yankees’ money and the termination pay, Bickford might now be in line to make more than the $900K he was slated to receive if he’d just made the Mets’ active roster.
After making two MLB appearances with the Brewers, a trade to the Dodgers in 2021 seemed to inspire a breakout, as Bickford posted a 2.50 ERA, 29.5% strikeout rate, and nine percent walk rate over 50 1/3 innings out of the Los Angeles bullpen. However, Bickford benefited from some BABIP and strand rate-related good fortune that year, and reality seemed to set in when he posted a 4.84 ERA in 128 1/3 innings with the Dodgers and Mets over the 2022-23 seasons. L.A. dealt him to the Mets at last year’s trade deadline, and the Mets ultimately deemed Bickford expendable amongst the many other relief options they acquired this past offseason.
The Yankees are forever on the lookout for bullpen arms, and the team’s recent ability to get good results from multiple unheralded or off-the-radar relievers perhaps bodes well for Bickford’s chances at success if he makes the 26-man roster. For now he’ll bide his time at Triple-A as depth in the event of an injury, or if the Bronx Bombers shuffle up their bullpen to move fresh arms back and forth from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Yankees really trying to acquire the entire Dodgers bullpen
Why are the Yankees in love with Dodger relievers (and vice versa)??
Trying to clean up the league…one mullet at a time.
The Yankees don’t realize that the mullet is back in style among young teenagers. I’ve got 2 cousins that have mullets now. All thelr friends have them too. And little Bro gotta copy big bro too. Maybe it’s a Minnesota thing. Idk.
This will get posted soon I’m sure. But the Kansas City voters turned down the downtown stadium bond issue about 60% to 40% this evening
DE
Good
It’s insane that voters are paying for billionaires to make more money
Putting a Royals park downtown is dumb on several levels. KC is a regional franchise. They had the turf forever to avoid rain outs for the people driving in 4 hours or more from the plains. It’s a drive and park team. Those same people won’t hassle with zero parking downtown stadium.
Any owner paying their own freight would put the park out in Johnson County where the money is.
But Kauffman is a gem. It stood out during the cookie cutter bowl era, and it stands out now in the cookie cutter downtown era.
Always had good stuff, was a 1st rounder, just seems like bad things happen when he’s out there. Good luck.
This is as much a situation of Bickford picking the Yankees as the Yankees picking Bickford. They are now a preferred destination for pitchers looking to elevate their games.
They are what Naoyuki Uwasawa thought the Rays were.
There goes his luscious locks. Unless it’s not a rule in their minor league affiliates to not allow long hair.
Can’t wait to see the Yankees fans implode after he gives up a few bombs to blow the leads. Guy is a gas can.
J5
Troll mater activated
Jordan, you’ve now been blocked by filihok for not adhering to his ludicrous forum rules. Go forth and repent your ways.
Truth be told, signing a minor league contract with the Yankees for a journyman Relief Pitcher is a pretty darn good idea.
The Yankees are one of the better teams in the Majors in developing good relief pitchers.
Spend some time in the minors, get your kinks ironed out, and you might just stick for a multi million dollar payday after.
IMO Yankees are great with a Bull pen but I wish they can find starters to give them some length so the BP is not overworked by August. Last two games only 5 innings from Cortes and Rondon.