Dodgers acquire Matt Gage & Christian Zazueta
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have traded left-handed pitcher Caleb Ferguson to the New York Yankees in exchange for left-handed pitcher Matt Gage and right-handed pitcher Christian Zazueta Jr.
Gage, 30, made five appearances for the Houston Astros last season, striking out eight batters in 6.2 innings. He has been in the Majors parts of two seasons with Toronto (2022) and Houston (2023), allowing four runs in 19.2 innings (1.83 ERA) with 20 strikeouts. In nine minor league seasons, he is a combined 47-44 with a 4.22 ERA with 663 strikeouts in 777 innings. He was originally drafted in the 10th round of the 2014 First Year Player Draft by the San Francisco Giants out of the University of Siena.
Zazueta, 19, pitched in 12 games for the Dominican Summer League Yankees last season, making 12 starts, allowing 19 runs in 52 innings, and striking out 50. He went 3-2 and posted a 3.29 ERA and limited batters to a .211 batting average against. The Navajoa, Sonora, Mexico native spent two seasons with the DSL Yankees, recording a 3-5 record with a 4.54 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 73.1 innings. He is the son of Mexican League standout Christian Zazueta, who completed his 19th season in the Mexican League with Veracruz last year. He was signed by the Yankees on January 17, 2022 as an international free agent.
Ferguson, 27, went 7-4 with a 3.43 ERA last season in 68 games for the Dodgers. He posted career-highs in wins, losses, innings pitched (60.1), strikeouts (70), saves (3) and starts (7) as he finished his fifth campaign with Los Angeles. In parts of five seasons, he went a combined 18-9 with a 3.43 ERA and 247 strikeouts in 207.1 innings. He was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the 38th round of the 2014 First Year Player Draft out of West Jefferson High School.