Bombers send Joely Rodríguez in exchange in crosstown reliever swap
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired RHP Miguel Castro from the New York Mets in exchange for LHP Joely Rodríguez.
Castro, 27, went 3-4 with a 3.45 ERA (70.1IP, 48H, 30R/27ER, 43BB, 77K, 7HR) in a career-high 69 appearances, including two starts (both as an opener) with the Mets in 2021. His 3.45 ERA marked a Major League career-best, in addition to his 0.90 HR/9.0IP and 6.14 H/9.0IP. He led all Mets relievers in appearances and innings pitched, and held batters to a .189 (48-for-254) opponents’ batting average. He was acquired by the Mets from the Baltimore Orioles for a player to be named later (INF Victor González) and LHP Kevin Smith on August 31, 2020.
Over his seven-year Major League career, the right-handed pitcher has gone 11-22 with seven saves and a 4.13 ERA (353.1IP, 306H, 177R/162ER, 190BB, 311K, 45HR) in 299 appearances (four starts) for the Toronto Blue Jays (2015), Colorado Rockies (2015-16), Baltimore Orioles (2017-20) and the Mets (2020-21). A native of La Romana, D.R., he originally signed with Toronto as a non-drafted free agent on January 5, 2012.
Rodríguez, 30, has gone 3-5 with one save and a 4.61 ERA (95.2IP, 106H, 59R/49ER, 42BB, 89K, 8HR) in 102 relief appearances over four Major League seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies (2016-17), Texas Rangers (2020-21) and Yankees (2021). He also spent two seasons (2018-19) with the Chunichi Dragons of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League. The Santo Domingo, D.R., native was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as a non-drafted free agent on March 31, 2009.
In 2021, the left-handed pitcher combined with the Rangers and Yankees to go 2-3 with one save and a 4.66 ERA (46.1IP, 53H, 27R/24ER, 18BB, 47K, 4HR) in a career-high 52 relief appearances. He had been acquired by the Yankees from the Rangers along with INF/OF Joey Gallo and cash considerations in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Glenn Otto and infielders Ezequiel Duran, Trevor Hauver and Josh Smith on July 29, 2021. In 21 appearances with the Yankees, he went 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA (19.0IP, 21H, 8R/6ER, 6BB, 17K, 1HR).
This trade marks just the third trade between the Yankees and Mets since 2005. On April 10, 2018, the Yankees acquired INF/OF L.J. Mazzilli from the Mets for OF Kendall Coleman. On December 19, 2014, the Yankees acquired RHP Gonzalez Germen from the Mets for cash considerations.
