The Yankees have announced that they have acquired a right-hander Michael Arias from lambs to earn money. The latter club had appointed Arias for the job earlier this week. The Yankees have plenty of 40-man cap space and don’t need to make a corresponding move.
Arias, 23, was originally signed by the Blue Jays internationally. Signed as a shortstop, he was released and then signed by the Cubs, who moved him to the mound. Arias has shown some power as a striker but a lack of control has been the biggest drawback, which is not surprising especially for a guy who has only been in the role for a few years.
In all, Arias has thrown 182 innings over the past four years, allowing a 4.25 earned run per nine innings. His 27.7% strikeout rate in that span is a solid number, but his 16.5% walk rate is much higher.
Despite these issues, the Cubs added him to their 40-man roster in November 2023 to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. His control didn’t improve in 2024, as he threw 60 1/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A with a 4.77 ERA, a 25.2% strikeout rate and a 16.8% walk rate. When the Cubs signed Colin Reathey took Arias off the list.
For the Yankees, they have several roster spots open, so there is little risk in taking a flier. Arias still has a few options and can be kept in the minors as they try to help him use his possessions better. According to Eric Longenhagen and Travis Ice of FanGraphs, his weapons include “a mid-90s sinker, plus-plus changeup, and righty-dowsing slider.”
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