What was your favorite Caleb Ferguson moment in pinstripes?
Last winter, the New York Yankees helped out their eventual World Series captors in the Los Angeles Dodgers twice. First, they aided LA in clearing a roster spot for Shohei Ohtani — very nice of them — by flipping Trey Sweeney (not 40-man) for Victor González and Jorbit Vivas (40-man).
Eventually, that burned them when the Dodgers flipped Sweeney for Jack Flaherty, a package the Yankees were unwilling to match; Flaherty helped get LA to the point of the Freddie Freeman walk-off in Game 1.
The far more egregious trade (there’s a more egregious trade than that?!) was the Caleb Ferguson deal, which sent the previously solid lefty reliever to New York in exchange for 40-man fodder Matt Gage, who never pitched in MLB with either the Dodgers or Yankees and is now in Detroit.
The Yankees also happened to throw in low-level pitching prospect Christian Zazueta, a small price to pay to get the accomplished Ferguson in the bullpen … right?
Eh. Ferg was a brutal Yankee, called upon to repeatedly botch ghost runner opportunities in extra innings before New York’s braintrust thought better of it and demoted him to low leverage. He’s now a Pirate after the Yankees flipped him to the Astros last summer for Kelly Austin, who might redeem this whole damn thing in relief for the Yanks someday.
That’ll be tough, though, considering the heater Zazueta’s been on since he leapt into the Dodgers’ Top 30 prospect list earlier this summer (he’s now at 19th in a re-rank). After posting a 6.36 ERA last season in his first taste of full-season ball, Zazueta has conquered the level, whiffing 69 men in 60 2/3 frames while sporting a 2.37 ERA and 7-2 record in 13 starts.
Some video of new #Dodgers pitching prospect Christian Zazueta Jr.
That curve/slider and changeup both look pretty good for his age pic.twitter.com/1QkLo7p5fj
— Bruce Kuntz (@Bnicklaus7) February 5, 2024
Dodgers win Caleb Ferguson trade (which would be true even if they hadn’t stolen Christian Zazueta from Yankees)
Wait, are … are you sure? The Dodgers got the better of the Yankees? That just doesn’t sound right. Roll that around in your mouth a little, try again.
Combining Zazueta’s rise with the Yankees’ ongoing quest to build up their reserve of tradable pitching assets is one thing; the Yankees’ strength could’ve been stronger, but it’s not like the polished righty would’ve been their only diamond in the rough.
Remembering that he was surrendered to your simmering rival in exchange for quite possibly the worst reliever you rostered all of last season, though? Except for maybe González, who the Dodgers also sent your way? That bites.
