Yankees claim pitcher Matt Gage off waivers from Astros.
Josh Hader’s signing by the Astros could improve the Yankees’ bullpen situation.
The Yankees claimed lefty reliever Matt Gage off waivers from the Astros on Monday, according to Jon Heyman of The Post.
Gage was designated for assignment last week to make place for Hader, who signed a five-year, $95 million contract with the Astros.
To make the transaction official, the Yankees must create a slot for Gage on their own 40-man roster.
Gage, a 30-year-old out of upstate New York (Johnstown) and Siena College, has a 1.83 ERA in 16 major league appearances for the Astros and Blue Jays.
He has one minor league option remaining, increasing his value as an arm that could shuttle between the Yankees and Triple-A as needed.
The waiver claim also adds another left-handed reliever to the Yankees’ 40-man roster, joining Victor Gonzalez, Nick Ramirez, and Matt Krook, providing further insurance if lefty reliever Wandy Peralta does not return in free agency.
Gage was originally drafted by the Giants as a starting pitcher in 2014, but departed affiliated ball to play in the Mexican League in 2019 and an independent league in 2020 before returning as a reliever in the Diamondbacks’ organization in 2021.
He made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays in 2022 before splitting 2023 between the Astros and their Triple-A affiliate, where he pitched to a 4.58 ERA in 34 outings.
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