The Yankees announced they’ve reinstated Jonathan Loáisiga from the 10-day injured list. To open space on the active roster, New York optioned Andrew Heaney to their rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate.
This surely isn’t the result New York envisioned when they acquired Heaney just before this summer’s trade deadline. Heaney owned just a 5.27 ERA at the time, but the Yankees bet that his high-end strikeout and walk rates (28.2% and 7.7%, respectively) would translate into stronger future results.
That hasn’t yet proven to be the case. Heaney was installed into the Yankees’ rotation over the first month after the trade, but he was tagged for 18 runs in 26 innings, largely thanks to a staggering nine home runs allowed. New York moved him into the bullpen after that rough start, but he’s been even less effective in that new role. Over seven relief outings, the southpaw has served up eleven runs in 9 2/3 frames, including four more long balls. Heaney has actually continued to post decent strikeout and walk numbers in pinstripes, but he’s been so homer-prone that hasn’t mattered.
It’s an especially inopportune time for Heaney to post arguably the worst season of his career. He’ll hit free agency for the first time this winter, coming off a campaign in which he’s tossed 129 2/3 innings of 5.83 ERA ball between Anaheim and the Bronx. He’ll present a rather difficult evaluation for teams. Because of his strong strikeout and walk rates, Heaney’s SIERA remains quite good (3.83). Of the 122 pitchers with 100+ innings, only four have a worse home run rate than Heaney’s 2.01 HR/9, though, and his second half struggles became significant enough the Yankees have bumped him from the active roster for a few of their most important games of the year.
Heaney has more than five years of major league service time, meaning he could not be optioned without consenting to a minor league assignment. Presumably, the Yankees offered him the choice of agreeing to the option or being designated for assignment (which almost certainly would’ve resulted in him being released). Rather than refuse the assignment and be cut from the organization altogether, he’ll head to the complex in hopes of straightening things out. He remains on the 40-man roster and could still be a depth option should the Yankees qualify for the postseason.
Loáisiga will try to help the Yankees get to the playoffs, as he returns after a three-week absence due to a shoulder strain. He has been among the club’s most effective relievers this season, tossing 68 frames of 2.25 ERA ball. The Yankees have reeled off seven consecutive wins to put themselves in great position to land a spot in the AL Wild Card game, but they’ll need to at least take a game or two in their final couple series with the Blue Jays and Rays to feel completely comfortable about their chances of nailing that berth down.
& some of you guys mock “thoughts & prayers”.
I think the good Lord himself would be hard pressed to get anything out of Heaney.
I was cautiously optimistic with the trade especially after reading Eno Sarris when he compared Heaney to Taillon.
Anyway let’s get another W tonight.
Turns out, the Angels guys on the board gave me a pretty reasonable & accurate expectation.
They said he’d sling a gem once in awhile. Well, he slung one against the sox. They also said he’d be really frustrating/give up lots of jacks. Well…that checks out too.
In my most optimistic moments (& you know me), I can see why Cash rolled the dice on him.
But in the end, we were stuck with Heaney due to Hal’s reticence to pay any CBT. & he pretty much sucked. Now we are in a Battle Royale for the Wild Card as opposed to battling the Ray’s for the East.
@ducky. I agree Hal avoiding the CBT made things tough for the Yankees this year. I imagine if George was alive this wouldn’t have been a issue. I fully expect them to spend big in free agency this winter. Heaney might just be another pitcher that can’t hack it in New York.
& here is what I find interesting about that, @McGriff: so many Yankee fans now talk about the “need” to reset the CBT.
Before 2017, the Yanks paid – whatever it was called – a luxury tax every year. Every single season, bro. That was just part of owning the Yankees. Which – let’s face it – is a pretty sweet gig. Hal flipped that in ’17. First time Yanks didn’t chip in with some extra loot for *all* of MLB.
That is a very notable sea change.
There was absolutely no need to not pay a few million in taxes this year. & if the Yanks don’t – at the very least – secure the home play-in game, this season will have to be viewed as a financial failure. & *that* might get Hal’s attention.
The Good Lord also says “Thou shalt not worship peripherals”.
I’m worried about Heaney and hope he hangs in there. The off-season will hopefully do him a world of good.
Don’t worry Cashman will have him covered with the 8 figure contract.
Everything isn’t about money.
I hate this for Heaney. He had such potential but has not been the same since his BFF Tyler Skaggs died. I really pray that he shakes the junk off and comes back strong. I think he can be a good middle starter or long reliever.
Won’t be surprised if the Rays, Giants, or Dodgers manage to fix him next season.
Dodgers already traded him away once.
If you watch Heaney pitch, you will see he misses over the plate consistently. For example, when attempting to pitch outside, he frequently misses over the plate vs missing further outside – same for pitching inside, low or high. Pitchers don’t always hit their spot, but unless your last name is Cole, Scherzer, etc, you need to miss in the right spot.
SIERRA, SO and W rates don’t seem to be effective measures for a pitcher that not only misses his spot, he misses in the wrong spot… alot.
Which is why his homeruns are so bad. You can still have a decent SIERA with a horrible HR rate. Yankee Stadium was probably not the best place for him to pitch.
Given that SIERA takes into consideration balls in play and type of ball in play, a pitcher with a horrific HR rate should have a poor SIERA. There seems to be a disconnect.
High strikeout, low walk and horrific HR rates does not a good pitcher make. Ask any Angels or Yankees fan that has watched Heaney. Better yet, look at the Yankees actions.
He needs to sign with the Royals. He gave up 29 home runs this year, but only 16 get out in Kaufmann stadium. Imagine how good his number will be if you halved his HR rate.
I didn’t know he was option-able until just now
Saw the headline and figured they’re optioning Heaney to make room for Sal Romano’s biweekly re-signing.
He’s a back of the rotation guy. Way back. Way way back.
So you’re saying he’s the John Wasdin of pitching rotations.
Heaney hasn’t been any good in the eight years he’s been around, but next year could be the big one.
Heaney was Cashman pet project but failed miserably. Heaney will get a minor league deal because he’s a lefty
In other news Cole is costing himself the CY Young tonight
RAY FTW
Maybe, @mlbnyyfan.
He’s kept us in the game without his best stuff. Our defense certainly didn’t do him any favors. Now we have Gallo doing that stuff.
But, I like our chances to light up Ray tomorrow. I know he hasn’t this year, but he generally runs enormous walk rates. & like our RH power bats against any & all lefties.
Cole still in it.
Guy has had 8 years in the majors. Do you really think a month in Florida will straighten him out. His has always been injury prone. Like so many others all the talent but sadly it didn’t transfer to the field
Cliff Lee didn’t figure it out until after his 30th birthday. It’s possible
That’s a trade Cashman would really like back.
Can you imagine if the Yankees said F the budget and got Scherzer. Oh well at least Met fans have a owner willing to spend at all costs.
Scherzer said he wants to be teammates with Kershaw when Kershaw hits 3000Ks. The Dodgers have ownership willing to spend at all costs. If the Dodgers want him back he’ll be in LA.
Get JV too in LA, rotation from Hell to kill all
Plus they’re going to be able to void Bauer’s contract in the offseason. That’s just a hunch
What did the Yankees expect when all they offered was junk for Heaney?
Junk pitched pretty well tonight against the Rangers.
wait, so he accepted an option? that’s kinda surprising.
He’s eligible to play in the postseason and I’m sure a piece of playoff shares have come to his mind. It’s not like any team is going to pick him up now. Might as well keep working.
Not really, he’s still postseason eligible. Who doesn’t want an opportunity to win a ring, even if for him, it’s slight? If they make it to the LCS or WS, but incur injuries, he might be called upon to provide depth.
Win trade for the Angels. Kendrick starred with the Nats teams. We would of got more out of Heaney if not for that elbow.. but we got Junk now so the gift that keeps on giving.
Halos also got Peguero in the Heaney trade. Gifts that keep on giving!
Chances the Pirates sign him as their reclamation trade chip pitcher?
Other teams will be disappointed that they won’t have batting practice anymore
Oh, I don’t know. Cole provided some nice meatballs.
He’s garbage
We want Tampa lol…
“No way the Rays make the playoffs, much less win the yankee’s division”
Oops!