The Dodgers are bringing right-handed reliever Yency Almonte back on a minor league contract, The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya reports. The Wasserman client will presumably be in big league camp.
It’s the second stint with the Dodgers for the 31-year-old Almonte. He was with Los Angeles in 2022-23, combining for 83 1/3 innings with a 3.35 ERA, 23.9% strikeout rate and 11.9% walk rate out of manager Dave Roberts’ bullpen. That production came in quite uneven fashion, however; Almonte delivered 35 1/3 innings of immaculate 1.02 ERA ball in 2022 but was roughed up for a 5.06 mark in 48 innings in 2023. The Dodgers traded Almonte to the Cubs alongside Michael Busch in a 2024 swap that brought prospects Zyhir Hope and Jackson Ferris back to Los Angeles. (Neither has made his MLB debut yet, but Hope currently sits No. 63 on Baseball America’s Top 100 list.)
Almonte’s two years in Chicago didn’t go as either he or the team hoped. He posted a 3.45 ERA in 2024 but was limited to just 15 2/3 innings due to a shoulder strain that wiped out the bulk of his season. The Cubs passed Almonte through outright waivers in November 2024. He subsequently elected free agency but returned on a minor league contract. Injuries again derailed his season, as he pitched just 19 1/3 frames in Chicago’s minor league ranks in 2025.
In 223 major league innings, Almonte carries a 4.44 ERA, 22.5% strikeout rate, 9.9% walk rate and 43.5% ground-ball rate. He struggled with the Rockies earlier in his career (5.30 ERA in four seasons) but carries a more encouraging 3.36 mark in 99 innings since moving away from Coors Field. Almonte sat at or just shy of 96 mph with both his four-seamer and sinker during his time with the Dodgers but was down about two miles per hour on each pitch with the Cubs prior to hitting the injured list with that shoulder strain.
The Dodgers don’t have a clear need for another arm in a deep bullpen that’s headlined by Edwin Diaz, Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia, but Almonte could fight for a job in camp and, failing that, provide some experienced depth with their Triple-A club in Oklahoma City.
I have this guttural reaction to seeing any news about the Dodgers adding someone as just more bullsh*t. Even the typical minor league signings like this. Dodgers are the NEW New York Yankees. Love to hate them.
How endearing.
Uncle Ricky
Would you read us a bedtime story?
Please, huh? Please?
About the time Bob had a guttural reaction?
If you know you know
I would tell you a bedtime story about Bob and his Gutteral Reaction but it’s an all too common tale that every child knows by heart.
Once upon a time
Not long ago
Bob made post
To let everyone know
The laws aren’t stern
And Justice was Blue
Bob saw a move
He could not approve
He saw another and another
Saw a bat, and a pitcher
than a catcher and a reliever
Soo he…. Kojacked
And yelled at the blog
Let everyone know
This is just totally blah
These pesky Dodgers and their minor league pickups. They need to sign some real talent if they ever hope to compete.
And we love you to hate them, especially when you go all guttural.
BTW, it’s highly unlikely that Almonte ends up either on the roster or in the minors.
I hope he growled in a cool way when it happened.
That would be awesome.
Yeah. The Jettsons’ dog Astro comes to mind.
See!!! You guys are already just like Yankee fans!! Its great!!
Not quite there yet. Give it another few chips and the yearly expectation of winning it every season. Then, we’ll be on that level. At this point, we’re not even used to it yet….
Be honest now, which Dodgers teams did you like better — the ones that lost in the postseason, or the ones that won in the postseason? Either? Neither? About equal?
I loved both groups
Yency Almonte broke baseball by joining the only team he ever had success with!!!!
🎥
And that love to hate it’s a good thing, is good to baseball!
Welcome back, Champ.
I’m okay with this. The Cubs still have Matthew Busch (IYKYK) Thanks LA
It’s Michael Busch.
I know it is. That’s why I said iykyk. I guess you didn’t know Karl Ravish and Eduardo Perez called him Matthew Busch severely times in the same game last year.
Karl and Eduardo are insufferable. Worst combo in broadcasting. Just slightly ahead of Collinsworth and Michaels.
Jessica Mendoza and Alex Rodriguez are equally as bad but David Cone isn’t great either.
That’s also supposed to be several not severely
Wake and bake messing up spelling
as if I watch Cubs games. However, my bad.
Apparently he didn’t KYK.
Dodgers went back to back without Busch. They are just fine with collecting the prospects
Good for them. I’m just grateful Michael Busch was expendable. It’s impossible to not like him. I think he has an even better year this year. He was snubbed for a gold Glove last year. He might eff around and win one tbis year.
I wish Busch well. Good stick, good guy.
We’ll see bout Hope & Ferris…..
The Dodgers are doing ok with the guy that’s currently playing 1B for them.
Danny Almonte?!? Wow! Where ya been?
Retirement home by now, I think.
I honestly didn’t realize he is an American until I looked at his Baseball reference page and realized he might be the 3rd most famous athlete from his high school behind Heisman Mendoza then Mr Coffee Ed Lynch and finally Yancheng
Why?
Wow doesn’t need a reason.
Appreciate the work from the writers. But “immaculate” has a specific meaning and that ain’t it.
It’s taken on an entirely new conception.
“That production came in quite uneven fashion, however; Almonte delivered 35 1/3 innings of immaculate 1.02 ERA ball in 2022 but was roughed up for a 5.06 mark in 48 innings in 2023.”
Not really. Not if you understand the flaws of ERA and anything about sample size
Year: BB% K% xFIP-
2022: 7.4 24.4 92
2023: 11.5 23.6 104
He was a bit better in 2022, yes.
2022:
there’s another trade the Cubs wish they could undo. oof.
Busch is an excellent player, and has done good things for the Cubs. Up to this point they have won the trade on the MLB level.
Michael Busch War with Cubs
2024 2.8
2025 4.6
Why would they undo that trade?
Yency Almonte has been hurt and the other pieces haven’t seen MLB action, and might not for a while.
Bbb
BTV
Busch $52 million
Hope $22 million
Ferris $ 8 million
They got a really good player in Michael Busch. Why would they want to undo it?
We just need to get Denny back in shape too. Let’s call Ulpiano. Yency will understand this if he’s reading.