Yankees DFA Former Guardians Hero

The New York Yankees cut ties with former Cleveland Guardians outfielder Oscar Gonzalez.

The New York Yankees are cutting ties with a one-time fan favorite and hero for the Cleveland Guardians. Oscar Gonzalez will be hitting the waiver wire after the Yankees chose to designate him for assignment on Wednesday.

Gonzalez was picked up by New York on December 1 after the Guardians quietly DFA'd him. His tenure in the Bronx was short-lived and he never got one at bat with the pinstripes.

This move comes on the same day that the Yankees officially announced the signing of starting pitcher Marcus Stroman. Letting go of Oscar was the corresponding move that the team made to make room for Stroman on the roster.

Jun 17, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Cleveland Guardians right fielder Oscar Gonzalez (39) celebrates after the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Gonzalez made his debut in 2022 and put together a stellar rookie season. He finished the year with a slash line of .296/.327/.461 and an OPS of .789. Of course, he also hit a walk-off home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALWS to send Cleveland to the ALDS against the Yankees. Gonzalez hit another walk-off in that series which gave the Guardians a 2-1 lead at the time.

All of this convinced fans that the organization had found their right fielder of the future and power bat that was so desperately needed in the lineup. 

However, Gonzalez's 2023 campaign at the Big League level was a major disappointment and he spent the majority of the season at Triple-A. Cleveland decided to designate him for assignment after this.

Gonzalez is still 26 years old and has proven to be a successful Major League player. It wouldn't be surprising to see another organization take a chance on him hoping they can tap back into that 2022 magic.