Dodgers, Yankees swap INF prospects in 3-player trade
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NEW YORK -- The Yankees acquired left-handed reliever Victor González and infielder Jorbit Vivas from the Dodgers on Monday, part of the ripple effect of Shohei Ohtani’s stunning 10-year, $700 million agreement with Los Angeles late last week.
The Bombers parted with shortstop Trey Sweeney in exchange for González and Vivas -- a move that opens two spots on Los Angeles’ 40-man roster for Ohtani and reliever Joe Kelly, whose deals were finalized on Monday.
Monday’s deal was consummated as the Yankees’ contingent fixes their sights upon other West Coast targets, with managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner and others set to engage with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the Los Angeles area on Monday.
“Pitching is definitely an area of focus,” general manager Brian Cashman said late last week. “Since we off-boarded pitching to make these deals [for outfielders Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo], on-boarding pitching is going to be important, no doubt about it.”
González, 28, could help fill a void in the Yanks’ bullpen created by the potential departure of free agent left-hander Wandy Peralta. Cashman has said that the club remains in contact with Peralta, who has pitched to a 2.82 ERA over 165 appearances with New York from 2021-23.
In 33 2/3 big league innings this past season, González posted a 4.01 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP while holding opponents to a .223/.296/.331 slash line, holding opponents scoreless in 27 out of 34 appearances after missing all of 2022 while recovering from elbow surgery.
González owns a lifetime 3.22 ERA in three big league seasons, limiting left-handed batters to a .564 OPS (.668 OPS vs. righties).
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Vivas becomes the Yankees' No. 10 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. A 22-year-old who has played second base and third base in his pro career, Vivas batted .269 with 13 homers, 25 steals and a .788 OPS over 135 games between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2023.
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Now ranked as the Dodgers' No. 18 prospect, Sweeney's path to the Majors was blocked by Yankees shortstops Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza.
The 20th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Eastern Illinois University, the 23-year-old Sweeney spent his entire 2023 season with Double-A Somerset, where he batted .252 with 13 homers, 20 steals and a .778 OPS in 100 games.