Jose Peraza

New York Yankees: What you need to know about recent signings

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ender inciarte, yankees

Like the other 29 MLB teams, the New York Yankees can not have any major league transactions due to the MLB lock-out. The owners and players couldn’t come to an agreement before the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement on December 1. However, that did not tie their hand from signing minor league players as they are not members of the players association. As a result, the Yankees have improved their future with some of those signings.

Yankees signed free agent SS Jose Peraza to a minor league contract at the end of November. Peraza will give the Yankees an option going forward at short. The 27-year-old hit .204 last season with six home runs over 142 plate appearances with the New York Mets. He has a six-year career average of .266. Peraza comes to the Yankees with an excellent defensive record.

On December 15, the Yankees signed RHP Vinny Nittoli to a minor league contract. The signing of Nittoli is a bit perplexing. He pitched in only one game last season for the Seattle Mariners. In one inning, his ERA was 18.00. So it must be the Yankee scouts saw something that caused them to make this signing.

The Yankees also signed center fielder Ender Inciarte and Blake Perkins to minor league contracts. EmpireSportsMedia.com’s Alexander Wilson had this to say about Inciarte:

Inciarte was once a respectable player, but at 31-years-old, his best service comes in the form of depth and last-resort situations. The veteran outfielder started off his career in Arizona with the Diamondbacks, posting intriguing numbers, including a .278 average in 2014 and .303 in 2015.

Inciarte is an All-Star and three-time Gold Glover.

Blake Perkins is a 25-year-old switch-hitting outfielder that plays primarily in center field. The Washington Nationals drafted him in the second round of the 2015 draft. In 2018 with the Pacific Nationals, he hit .234 with one home run, 21 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases through 65 games. Last season, he hit .224/.330/.347 with eight home runs, 34 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases with two different minor league teams. Perkins will provide depth for the Yankees in center.

The Yankees also added Wilkerman Garcia, a 23-year-old shortstop, to their minor league fold. Garcia is another switch hitter; he has a career batting average of .284 with 12 home runs over five years in the majors. However, he had not played since 2019, when he was with four minor league teams in the Yankee organization. Luis Soho has called Garcia a defending solid shortstop.

 

New York Yankees News 12/01: All you need to know in one place

by
New York Yankees, James Paxton

Second ex-Yankee pitcher goes to East rival

The New York Yankees may be haunted this season when they face ex-Yankee pitchers. Just over a week, ago the Tampa Bay Rays picked up 2021 Yankee pitcher and two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber. The move by the Rays was made after the Yankees failed to offer the no-hitter pitcher a contract for the new season.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that a second ex-Yankee pitcher would be playing for another AL East rival. James Paxton, who pitched for the Yankees in 2020, has been picked up by the Boston Red Sox. Paxton was 16-7 in 2019 and 2020 for the Yankees. The injury-prone pitcher’s contract was not renewed, and he moved on to the Seattle Mariners, where he started only one game. But the Red Sox will take a chance with the pitcher who had Tommy John surgery last season. The contract is for one year at $10 million with a club option for 2023. He will not start the season, but the Yankees can expect to see him on the mound at Fenway Park at some point in the future.

Gary Sanchez remains the Yankee catcher for 2022

At the end of every season, the Yankees contemplate Gary Sanchez’s future, who hasn’t had a good year with the Yankees since 2017. This past season, Sanchez handled the backstop job a bit better than in 2020, but with very inconsistent hitting, and a degraded arm, the Yankees again considered non-tendering him. Sanchez has his supporters, but most fans would like to see him gone.

In previous articles, I have said that Sanchez would not be going anywhere, mostly due to the Yankees’ need to upgrade other positions and the lack of catcher options on the market. Last night many fans were wondering if the Yankees would tender him by the deadline. The Yankees did indeed tender him, so the duo of Gary Sanchez and Kyle Higashioka will man the backstop for the upcoming season. Sanchez was given a 27% raise, worth an estimated $8 million.

Yankee non-tender candidates sticking around

The Yankees not only tendered catcher Gary Sanchez but all of their non-tender candidates. First baseman Luke Voit and third baseman Miguel Andujar will be hanging around as well. The caveat doesn’t necessarily mean they will be playing for the team, but it does mean the Yankees will have something to fall back on should they be unsuccessful in free agency or in the trade market. Tonight the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires. The Yankees will at least know they still have some options at those positions.

The Yankees also cleaned up some loose ends by giving contracts to Gio Urshela ($6.55 million), Domingo German ($1.75 million), and Lucas Luetge $905,000.

Chris Gittens won’t be playing for the Yankees

The Scranton Wilkes/Barre sensation, Chris Gittens, who got to play in a few games at Yankee Stadium last season, is no longer a Yankee and will be playing in Japan this season.

With the RailRiders, he hit .301 with 14 home runs in just 45 games. In this writer’s opinion, he was mishandled on the major league level, getting only 36 at-bats in 16 games that were scattered during the season, which never allowed him to get into his groove. He ended up hitting just .111 with just one home run. The Yankees released him.

Will the Yankees trade for shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa?

With the Yankees losing out on Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote that New York is expected to contact the Texas Rangers inquiring about shortstop Kiner-Falefa. Andy Martino echoed the report on Tuesday, saying that the Yankees had already contracted the Rangers.

With the acquisition of Cory Seager, the Rangers no longer need their 2020 shortstop. Should the Yankees work out a deal with the Rangers, make no mistake about it, the Rangers went after Seager to replace Kiner-Falefa, who is not the greatest shortstop, but for the Yankees would certainly be an upgrade from Gleyber Torres. Kiner-Falefa is a very good defender but not great offensively.

A big plus with the 26-year-old is that he stays healthy and is very durable. He played in all but six games in the last two seasons. In 2021 he had a slash line of .271/.312/.357 with 8 homers and 53 RBIs. He also stole 20 bases. Compared to Gleyber Torres, he would be a solid addition to the team.

Yankees sign infielder Jose Peraza to a minor league contract

The New York Yankees guaranteed themselves a backup at shortstop with the signing of Jose Peraza. Peraza is also a utility player that can play just about anywhere, but don’t be mistaken, Peraza is no upgrade from Tyler Wade.

Between 2019 and 2021, Peraza played in just over 200 games with only 13 homers and a batting average of just over .225. His last good season was in 2018 when he was with the Cincinnati Reds. He hit .288/.326/.416 with 14 homers. If he ever reaches the big team for the Yankees he will be a bench piece. For the time being, he will share the infield with another Peraza, Oswald for the Rail Riders.

Could Chris Taylor replace Tyler Wade?

The New York Yankee history shows that the front office loves players that can play multiple positions responsibly. In that end, they may target the former Dodger player Chris Taylor. Taylor is probably the most versatile player of all 2021 free agents.

In 2021 he played 33 games at second base, 9 at third base, 19 at shortstop, 16 in left field, 48 in center, and a few games in right field at Dodger Stadium. Although not above average at all positions, he is adequate wherever the Yankees might need him.

CBA expiration looming, will there be a lockout?

As of right now, it appears MLB will be in a lockdown when the sun rises tomorrow. Going into the last day of negotiations, the sides are still far apart on several issues. Two important ones to be resolved is that the players want more money earlier in their careers, and the owners want to keep that money. Yes, it shouldn’t be a surprise that it is all about money.

Another sticky point, players for decades have generally been fine with a six-year path to free agency – but not when teams so blatantly manipulate the service time of budding stars to make it a seven-year slog suddenly. For the most part, in the last several agreements, the owners have pretty much had their own way. This time the players are not going to take it anymore, thus the likely hood of a lockout.

If there is a lockout, all transactions will cease. The last time there was a work stoppage, it was when the players refused to play. It was 1994 during August in a season without baseball, without a World Series that lasted until it delayed the start of the 1995 season. Ruffling fans, many left the game for other sports. Although a stoppage rewards neither side, it looks inevitable. The big loser is the fans themselves, especially if the issues can’t be hammered out by spring training.

Six-Run Seventh Inning Propels Mets to 10-5 Win Over Yankees

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The New York Mets offense was dead in the water heading into Yankee Stadium, but New York Yankees pitching has revived them. Their overpriced combination of Gerrit Cole and Aroldis Chapman struggled mightily once again as the Mets pulled off a gutsy 10-5 win.

The Mets should also thank Yankees manager Aaron Boone for pulling Chad Green after just two pitches for Chapman. He ended up allowing a leadoff home run on a questionable slider after three straight fastballs. Jose Peraza gave the Mets a lead with his fan interference double, Brandon Nimmo added two more, and Francisco Lindor finished it with another single.

Stroman looked like he would have another terrific start after an 11-pitch first inning. Lindor’s botched double play led to a three-run second inning which gave momentum to a dead offense. The Mets tried to nurse Stroman through one more inning, but a shrinking strike zone and a wild pitch gave the Yankees the final run they needed. Stroman finished with five innings pitched, five runs (three earned), and failed to record a strikeout.

Get The Sticky Tack

Cole struggled once again without the use of Spider Tack on the baseball. Dominic Smith stayed hot with a first-inning, short porch home run off Cole’s curveball. He worked through tough jams in the second and third inning but completely fell off the rails. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for Tomas Nido, who made it a 4-2 game with his single. After a strikeout, Nimmo’s single made it a one-run game, and Lindor tied it with his own single. They went silent on offense until their huge seventh inning.

The win was the team-oriented win they have been searching for and allowed them to extend their division lead. Game two of the doubleheader is at 7:08 p.m. ET, where Corey Oswalt will face Nestor Cortes from Yankee Stadium.

Stroman and Diaz Win Pitchers Duel To Give Mets 1-0 Game 1 Win

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The New York Mets and Colorado Rockies continued to put out tremendous pitching performances in game one of their doubleheader. Marcus Stroman outdueled German Marquez to get the Mets a 1-0 victory in a speedy seven-inning game.

Stroman did not have his best stuff early in the game but settled in for another excellent outing. He pitched six shutout innings, allowing just three hits and recording another ten groundball outs. Marquez was just as brilliant, pitching six innings (complete game), allowing just three hits and one run while striking out six. Jose Peraza was responsible for the lone run when he blasted a solo home run in the third inning.

Edwin Diaz was the only reliever to enter the game for both teams. He converted his ninth save in the same amount of opportunities to give the Mets their second straight victory. The game was completed in one hour and 54 minutes and was another example of the type of game the Mets have been winning. The Mets offensive provided just enough to win, and the pitching completed the rest. Both teams had three hits each, and the Mets never took an at-bat with a runner in scoring position.

Joey Lucchesi faces off against Antonio Senzatela in game two of the doubleheader, starting in about a half-hour from Citi Field.

Mets Spoil Harvey’s Return in 7-1 Win For Seventh Straight Victory

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The much-anticipated return of Matt Harvey came with plenty of love and support, but the New York Mets had a winning streak to continue. Outside of a 1-2-3 first inning, Harvey and the Baltimore Orioles could not get anything going in the Mets 7-1 victory.

The Mets fans gave Harvey the standing ovation he deserved, but the offense greeted him rudely. They tagged Harvey for seven runs and eight hits which forced Harvey out of the game in the fifth inning. Kevin Pillar opened things with a two-run triple in the second inning as he continues to fill in nicely for Brandon Nimmo. Speaking of fill-ins, Jose Peraza stepped in for Jeff McNeil and had a great game. Peraza delivered two singles, two RBIs and made a couple of tremendous defensive plays at second base. Dominic Smith‘s bat has suddenly become red hot as he went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Skywalker Leads The Way

Taijuan Walker continued his dominant season by throwing seven innings and keeping the Orioles to just one run. His three walks are deceiving because two came back-to-back in the second inning. Walker was a strike-throwing machine with 63 of his 97 pitches in the zone. When he gave up hard contact, he also benefitted from great defense through the diamond. Drew Smith made a powerful return to the big leagues by working an 11 pitch, 1-2-3 ninth inning, and reaching 97 mph with his fastball.

The win is the seventh straight, and they are building winning habits that were not prevalent in April. They went an incredible 7-for-10 with runners in scoring position, recorded three 2-out RBIs, and stole two bases. As the offense wakes up, they have climbed out of the cellar in MLBs offensive stats. Their average w/RISP is up to 21st, their team average is 12th, and their on-base percentage is 3rd.

The Mets get Thursday off as they head down to Tampa Bay to begin a nine-game road trip on Friday. David Peterson gets the start against Tyler Glasnow for the 7:10 p.m. ET start from Tropicana Field.

New York Mets Sign 11 Minor League Free Agents

by
Oakland Athletics, Bruce Maxwell

With the election day hangover sweeping through the news cycle, the New York Mets were active on the free-agent market. The big fish of Trevor Bauer and J.T. Realmuto are still on the market but the Mets scooped brought in 11 players on minor league deals. Five were in the organization this year but Jose Peraza and Mallex Smith highlight the group of outsiders.

The five Mets returning to the team are Johneshwy Fargas, Jake Hager, Harol Gonzalez, Bruce Maxwell, and Luis Carpio. Fargas is a centerfielder with supreme speed, stealing 235 bases over seven minor league seasons. His minor league batting average of .255 with a .342 has kept him back.

Hager is a 27-year old utility infielder who is still waiting on his first major league action. He has recorded slugging percentages over .400 in his last two minor league seasons.

Gonzalez is a right-handed starter who suffered from the canceled minor league season in 2020. He pitched to a 3.01 ERA in a career-high 137.2 innings between AA and AAA. Gonzalez should scratch the surface of the big leagues in 2021.

Maxwell is trying to revive his career after spending 2020 in the Mets alternate site. He is known as the first MLB player to take a knee for the National Anthem and hit 24 home runs in the Mexican League during 2019.

Carpio is entering his eighth year in the Mets organization but is just 23-years old. His hitting has kept him in the lower levels of the minors with a career .246 average and 20 home runs.

New Kids on the Block

Mallex Smith was a hot commodity after the 2018 season. His slash line of .296/.367/.406 with 40 stolen bases proved him to be a quality leadoff hitter. It was one of the reasons why they traded to get him back in 2018 after dealing him in the previous offseason. Smith’s bat tailed off significantly to .220/.290/.323 over the last two seasons. While he still stole 48 bases, he also tailed off defensively. As a minor league pick up, it is a good low-risk move.

Jose Peraza has a similar career arc to Smith; a promising contact hitter who has not replicated those numbers in the last two seasons. From 2016-2018 Peraza slashed .284/.320/.382 compared to .236/.283/.345. Peraza also saw his strikeout rate increase and his defense at second base decline over those poor two seasons.

Arodys Vizcaino‘s career has been plagued by the injury bug. He has undergone Tommy John and torn labrum surgery but still maintains a 3.01 career ERA. Vizcaino still throws in the upper 90s and if the Mets can keep him somewhat healthy, he could be a steal in the bullpen.

Little Known Signings

Oscar De La Cruz is a right-handed pitcher heading into his age-26 season. The intrigue from the Mets comes from his 2019 season where he had a 3.64 ERA over 96.1 innings with 105 strikeouts. It was his best season in the minors, with a majority of it being spent in AA.

David Rodriguez is a 24-year old catcher known primarily for his good defense behind the plate. In 2017, Rodriguez threw out 60% of base stealers (33 of 55) at high A. In his second season at AA in 2019, he threw out 31% of base stealers (20 of 64). Rodriguez only hit .225 in 2019 but gives the Mets some competition in the lower ranks of their catching depth chart.

Mitchell Tolman is the final signing and spent his entire minor league career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Tolman plays a handful of positions and had a chance to move up the ranks in their organization if the minor league season was not canceled. At 26 years old, Tolman’s .364 minor league OBP and ability to play multiple positions is part of what garnered the Mets interest.