Outfielder Rafael Ortega has requested a release from his minor league with the Yankees and that request has been granted, reports MLBTR’s Steve Adams. Ortega had an opt-out in his contract yesterday and has been informed that he won’t make the club’s roster. He is now a free agent.
The outfielder was competing for a bench job on the roster alongside players like Willie Calhoun and Estevan Florial. Earlier today, Marly Rivera of ESPN reported that Calhoun has been reassigned to minor league camp, while Florial and Ortega were each set to fly to New York as manager Aaron Boone said the final rosters decisions had yet to be made (Twitter links). It now appears that Ortega isn’t going to get a spot and will be free to pursue opportunities with all 30 clubs.
Ortega, 32 in May, is a veteran journeyman who appeared in 143 MLB games from 2012 to 2020 with the Rockies, Angels, Marlins and Braves. He finally got an extended stretch of play with the Cubs over the past two years, getting into 221 contests over that span. He hit 18 home runs and stole 24 bases as a Cub while walking in 10.6% of his plate appearances. His .265/.344/.408 batting line in that time amounted to a 108 wRC+, indicating he was 8% better than the league average hitter. He largely played center field for the Cubs but the advanced defensive metrics thought him a tad overmatched there, as he was given grades of -5 Defensive Runs Saved, -3 Outs Above Average and -5.4 from Ultimate Zone Rating in center over the past two seasons, though they liked his work in the corners well enough.
The Cubs could have retained Ortega via arbitration, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting him for a salary of $1.7MM. Instead, they non-tendered him, sending him to free agency. The Yankees figured to have Harrison Bader as their regular center fielder with Aaron Judge in right. Left field was a bit less certain as Aaron Hicks is coming off a couple of frustrating seasons and saw his name appear in trade rumors this winter, though nothing came together. He seems like he will be the regular in left, though Giancarlo Stanton could play some right and bump Judge over to the other side. The club also has been getting infielders Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Oswaldo Cabrera some work on the grass.
That whole picture took a hit recently when Bader suffered an oblique strain that is going to keep him out of action for the few first weeks of the season, knocking out the top option in center. Both Judge and Hicks are options to take over in Bader’s stead, as Judge played there in 78 games last year. Hicks had been primarily a center fielder until getting bumped to left over the past few years. Given the demands of the position, it makes sense that the club would look to have another player capable of spending some time in center, in order to keep their well-paid veterans in the corners. Ortega has plenty of experience at the position but his grades there haven’t been especially strong, as mentioned.
It’s possible that the club prefers to take a chance on Florial, who is primarily a center fielder and much younger than Ortega at 25 years old. He’s out of options and can no longer be sent to the minors without being placed on waivers first. He has struggled in his major league time thus far, hitting .185/.302/.278 in a small sample of 63 plate appearances. He’s been much better in the minor leagues, including last year. In 101 Triple-A games in 2022, he hit 15 home runs and stole 39 bases. He struck out in 30.4% of his trips to the plate but also walked at a healthy 11.7% rate. His .283/.368/.481 amounted to a wRC+ of 124, indicating he was 24% better than league average.
Perhaps the Yankees didn’t want to give up on a player with that kind of apparent talent, MLB struggles aside. The speed portion of his game could perhaps become more important this year with the new rules that will encourage more baserunning. He has less than a year of service time and can be cheaply retained for the foreseeable future if he can provide enough value to hang onto a roster spot.
It’s also possible that there are further moves forthcoming, as many players get released or opt out from contracts with other clubs at this time of year. Perhaps the Yanks will find someone they like more than Florial on the waiver wire or trade block, though that remains to be seen.
Awful move way better than Florial
lol fans have been screaming about how bad they want Florial on the team for a few years now, now they want Mr. Journeyman Rando.
Fraham is in the very minor minority.
YBC didn’t you know when one Yankees fan speaks, they speak for everyone?
Some fans. Most fans know that Florial has poor pitch recognition. It’s always been his Achilles heel and it’s not something that can be thought. I suspect if the Yankees keep him it’s only until Bader returns.
Why they never shortened his long looping swing, I’ll don’t understand.
You should wait a day or two before you comment. Moves will be made before Thursday.
After watching him play the last 2 years for the Cubs, I can say with certainty, You’re not losing anything.
Nah, glad my boi Florial is staying!
His bat just disappeared the last couple weeks. Florial is history once Bader gets back anyways.
It was never there. There’s a reason he has kept floundering in the minors. He’s a AAAA-bat although I hate using that term. Hopefully, his defense holds up.
He hit really well the first half of ST, Florial hasn’t hit all this spring. Florial won’t get many PA’s until Bader is back.
I see it as the lesser of two evils. If the Yankees weren’t breathing on the Cohen tax line, neither Florial nor Ortega would be in this conversation when Bader went down. Those Montas and Donaldson trades continue to pay dividends here.
I thought of that last trade deadline, could you imagine in George’s day trading for Benny and Bader when Juan Soto was available?
At least the Yankees signed Rodon.
Lol And Correa would be the starting SS since Volpe and Peraza are gone.
I’d be surprised if Judge was still with the team. George might be willing to spend money but if not for Stick Michael, people would remember George a lot differently.
That’s kind of ridiculous drascoo. You saw what the Padres gave up to get Soto right?
You’re right. He wouldn’t be. George would’ve challenged Judge to get the Giants’ best offer and expect him to call back for Yankees’ counter-offer. Except Judge wouldn’t have called back.
Florial is who you want on the bench, to provide defense. On any given day you’ll likely have at least one of Stanton/DJL/IKF/Hicks on the bench, so important that your true bench outfielder is a defensive one.
I think George would have traded him early on. When he came up on a Sept. call up and struck out half of his at bats, George would have traded him for a bucket of balls.
How the mighty have fallen.
As the saying goes, “prospects are cool, World Series titles are cooler”.
If you lost Judge, who the f cares? You have Juan Soto.
I just remember 4 World Series titles in 5 years, 3 in a row, 4 straight appearances, and five in 8 years. But that’s alright, making the playoffs are cool too. I like watching the Astros own the Yankees year after year, at least it’s not Boston.
I would have had no problem being a Yankee fan the last twenty-five years, even with the recent WS drought. Having one long, competitive season after another for all that time is gold. Heck, I’m old enough, I wouldn’t have minded being a fan back to the mid-70’s and endured both droughts.
It’s also much more fun to b$&*h about rich team problems than poor ones.
@Joe says… Didn’t George want to trade Mariano Rivera for a Seattle SS bc he felt that Jeter wasn’t ready? That would’ve really sucked if everyone didn’t talk him down.
I’m still taking Florial over Hicks. I wish we could just DFA Hicks. An outfield of Judge, Bader, Cabrera/ Florial would be fine. When Bader comes back hopefully Hicks will be gone.
I’m going to say something possibly controversial here but the Yankees have always kept a ethnically-diverse team.
If they ever eat Hicks contract it better be for someone who’s actually better. That’s not Florial.
Neither is Aaron Hicks one.
Come back to the braves lol. In all seriousness though he deserves at least a 4th outfielder spot on some team.
I thought he would have been nice as a left-handed center fielder.
who?
Weird/bad decision, Florial is awful. Ortega isn’t a star by any means, but he’s an ideal backup outfielder and a league average bat.
Ortega is a bench bat, and with who they have already, the team needs a late-inning defensive replacement, not a pinch hitter bat.
Trade coming hopefully – Yankees need pitching
?
I’ll always remember that salami vs. The Dodgers.
Not Balita! I would have gone with him over Florial.
Bader can’t get healthy fast enough for the Yanks!
Apparently Boone said Ortega and Florial WILL be on the opening day roster, so maybe they’ll resign Ortega to a major league deal.
Except Boone said that BEFORE the tweet from Steve Adams.
This whole situation is so weird.
No Boone said they’d both take the plane up to NYC. Which they did. Apparently the Yankees didn’t get an offer they liked for Florial, so they went to plan B, which was to eject Ortega. Weren’t willing to give away Florial for nothing.
If they both make it up north, then IKF is gone.
Unrelated. IKF is an infielder.
IKF has been playing outfield this spring.
Edit: IKF has also played catcher this spring.
A 26-man roster is related.
Rafael “Taco Shells” Ortega
Where is Calhoun!! He was in fire in spring training!
I guess they’re trying to finally make Florial a major leaguer after all these years…. I am guessing they’re trying to set him up for a trade or something? Seems like Estevan Florial being the future is no longer a thing but they don’t want to give up on him or trade him for nothing.
Three years left of Hicks (!!!) and an un-trade-able contract.
Harrison Bader was supposed to be the starter. We’ll see when he actually comes back… so Florial will get that time to try and shine…
I guess the situation is a good problem to have, unless all of our outfielders besides Judge are once again underwhelming to terrible.
But hey- maybe Hicks will finally be that 5.2 to 7.2 WAR player the Yankees signed him to be.
He’s a late inning pinch runner and defensive replacement.
Ortega has great plate discipline, bats left, and is an average glove. Rather him than Hicks or Florial.