Reliever Phil Bickford elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment by the Yankees, according to a team announcement. New York had designated the right-hander for assignment on Sunday. He evidently cleared waivers.
Bickford only spent a little more than a week on the MLB roster. He signed a minor league pact in early April after being released by the Mets at the end of camp. The former first-rounder pitched to a 2.93 ERA across 27 2/3 innings with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He struck out almost 30% of opposing hitters against a 10.3% walk rate. That’s a few more free passes than ideal but isn’t unmanageable.
It was an impressive enough minor league showing to get Bickford a brief look in the Bronx. He couldn’t carry that over against MLB competition. Bickford worked five innings, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on eight hits and a walk. Bickford tossed scoreless outings in his first two appearances before allowing runs in each of his final three games. That included a five-run outing against the Blue Jays on Saturday in which Bickford only logged two outs.
The 28-year-old (29 next week) topped 50 MLB innings in every season from 2021-23. Bickford managed a 2.81 ERA between the Brewers and Dodgers three years ago. He allowed nearly five earned runs per nine in the next two seasons, albeit with solid strikeout and swinging strike numbers. Bickford will likely sign another minor league deal in the next few days. The Yankees could look to bring him back, as it’s not uncommon for players to re-sign with their prior organization after declining an outright assignment.
Decent stuff but he needs a third pitch, a sinker down in the zone might help. The guy lives in the upper half of the zone with the 4 seamer with his fastball and his slider misses the zone often. It’s too easy for sit fast ball and lay off his slider unless it’s in the zone
He’s a thrower not a pitcher. This is his real problem.
Thrower not a pitcher doesn’t mean much. That’s every when they’re wild, many of them learn to tame it. “He’s a thrower not a pitcher” is an old boomer trope without any detail about the issue.
Horse poop. It means he has a violent and uncontrolled delivery that results in substandard command and a poor fielding position after delivery. Sorry, your trope loses — as they all do.
So…..
The Yankees are no longer in first place?
Let’s make a deal……
He’s going to take some time to regroup, and grow back his flow.
Good story on hold for a while! Keep your head up, life is still good!
Bickford is mediocre, so he will get scooped up as middle relief is where mediocre pitcher attain jobs until they are no longer mediocre as bickford is on the edge of that
Shoulda signed with the jays when you were drafted
Time for Cashman and Boone to go bye bye! No passion on this team at all