The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired LHP Caleb Ferguson from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for LHP Matt Gage and RHP Christian Zazueta.
Ferguson, 27, went 7-4 with three saves and a 3.43 ERA (60.1IP, 64H, 30R/23ER, 23BB, 70K, 4HR) in 68 appearances (seven starts) with the Dodgers in 2023. He set career highs in appearances, innings pitched, strikeouts, saves and tied his career-high in wins last season. The left-handed pitcher was also tied for the most appearances among Dodgers pitchers in 2023. Among National League left-handed relievers, he ranked sixth in home runs allowed per nine innings (0.50) and groundball percentage (50.7%) last season. His 2.58 ERA (87.1IP, 25ER) over the last two seasons (2022-23) is the sixth-lowest among Major League left-handed relievers over that span (min. 75.0IP).
Over parts of five Major League seasons with Los Angeles-NL (2018-20, ‘22-23), Ferguson has gone 18-9 with five saves and a 3.43 ERA (207.1IP, 185H, 93R/79ER, 82BB, 247K, 24HR) in 201 career games (14 starts). He did not pitch in 2021 due to recovery from “Tommy John” surgery.
The Columbus, Ohio, native was originally drafted by Los Angeles-NL in the 38th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of West Jefferson High School (Ohio).
Gage, 30, posted a 2.70 ERA (6.2IP, 6H, 2ER, 3BB, 8K, 1HR) in five relief appearances with the Houston Astros in 2023. He spent the majority of last season with Triple-A Sugar Land, going 1-1 with a 4.58 ERA (37.1IP, 41H, 20R/19ER, 20BB, 39K, 5HR) in 34 relief appearances. Gage was designated for assignment by Houston on January 22, 2024 and claimed off waivers by the Yankees on January 29, 2024.
Over parts of two Major League seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays (2022) and the Houston Astros (2023), Gage has gone 0-1 with a 1.83 ERA (19.2IP, 12H, 6R/4ER, 9BB, 20K, 2HR) in 16 career relief appearances. The Johnstown, N.Y., native was originally selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 10th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Siena College.
Zazueta, 19, went 3-2 with a 3.29 ERA (52.0IP, 41H, 21R/19ER, 16BB, 50K, 6HR) in 12 starts with the DSL Yankees in 2023. Over his first two professional seasons with the DSL Yankees (2022-23), Zazueta has gone 3-5 with a 4.54 ERA (73.1IP, 65H, 41R/37ER, 22BB, 75K, 10HR) in 20 career starts. The Navojoa, México, native was signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on January 17, 2022.