Breaking: Yankees Confirms Release For Important pitcher Due to………
The Yankees have released right-hander, who had been pitching for their Triple-A affiliate after signing a minor league deal in the offseason, according to MiLB.com’s transaction log. Underwood is now a free agent eligible to sign with any club.
Despite generally solid performance with Scranton, where he pitched 38 2/3 innings with a 3.26 ERA and a strikeout rate of 23.4% (slightly above the MLB average), the Yankees did not call him up to the majors this season. This was likely due to his 14% walk rate, which suggested potential regression in his otherwise impressive ERA.
A second-round pick by the Cubs in 2012, the now 30-year-old Underwood has over three years of MLB service time, split between the Cubs and Pirates. He had some success with Pittsburgh from 2021-22, working his way into a leverage role. During those two seasons, he posted a 4.36 ERA over 130 innings, with a 21.1% strikeout rate, 9% walk rate, and a 45.7% ground-ball rate, including one save and twelve holds. Although possibly miscast as a setup man, Underwood proved to be a reliable middle reliever.
However, 2023 was a challenging year for Underwood. He pitched only 24 1/3 innings in the majors, struggling with a 5.18 ERA and declines in both his strikeout and walk rates. His average sinker velocity dropped from 95.3 mph in 2022 to 93.6 mph in 2023, and he recorded career lows in both strikeout (14%) and walk (11%) rates. Pittsburgh waived him last June, and he became a minor league free agent before signing with the Yankees.
In total, Underwood has pitched 190 2/3 innings in the majors with a 4.63 ERA, a 21.5% strikeout rate, and a 9% walk rate, similar to his 2021-22 performance. Mostly working in short relief for the Yankees’ organization, he has also made eight appearances in which he recorded between four and six outs over the past couple of months. He could be a valuable option for teams needing depth, offering experience and the ability to pitch more than an inning per appearance.