Yankees Pull Off Trade With Dodgers to Bolster Bullpen Before Spring Training

The New York Yankees connected with the Los Angeles Dodgers to make yet another trade, this time acquiring reliever Caleb Ferguson. The team desperately needed a left-handed reliever after losing Wandy Peralta earlier this week in free agency. The Yankees gave up two prospects Matt Gage and Christian Zazueta in exchange for the 27-year-old.

The move will immediately improve the Yankees' bullpen, giving the team another solid option late in games. Ferguson had a solid 2023 pitching 60 innings with a 3.43 ERA after a season as one of the best relievers in baseball in 2022 with a 1.82 ERA in 34.2 innings pitched.

If Matt Blake can tap into the potential that Ferguson has shown in the past two seasons, the Yankees will have a potential weapon out of the bullpen. Over the past two seasons, Ferguson sports a 3.21 FIP and a 3.1% barrel rate with some of the better stuff for a cheaper reliever in the market.

New York's bullpen now is seemingly taking shape with the team seemingly nailing down its seventh through ninth innings of relief. Going into the season the team will need massive contributions from Ferguson in addition to Jonathan Loaisiga and Scott Effross with both returning from injury.

New York Yankees: Another Matt Blake Project?

During his time as the Yankees' pitching coach, Matt Blake has shown an ability to turn relatively unknown relievers into top-end bullpen talents. Recently we've seen Blake have success with pitchers like Wandy Peralta and Clay Holmes who were added in deals similar to this.

Adding Ferguson brings in a solid reliever but, you now have to wonder how good he can become with the coaching of Matt Blake. Ferguson will become an unrestricted free agent following this season so the Yankees may look to extend him early on before the season.

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