Yanks claim Gonzalez off waivers from Cleveland
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¡°SpongeBob SquarePants¡± is headed to the Bronx.
The Yankees have claimed outfielder Oscar Gonzalez off waivers from the Guardians, the club announced on Friday.
Gonzalez, who turns 26 in January, enjoyed fan-favorite status in Cleveland when he began using the popular cartoon¡¯s theme song as walk-up music for his at-bats in 2022 while helping to power the Guardians during their postseason run.
In 91 games for Cleveland that season, Gonzalez slashed .296/.327/.461 (125 OPS+) with 27 doubles, 11 home runs and 43 RBIs. He also memorably lined a walk-off two-run single that defeated the Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Division Series at Progressive Field.
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But Gonzalez struggled this past year, prompting his demotion to Triple-A in early May. Gonzalez returned to the Majors in late July, posting an overall .214/.239/.312 slash line (53 OPS+) with seven doubles, two triples, two homers and 12 RBIs in 54 games.
The right-handed Gonzalez projects as a depth option on the Yankees' roster, as general manager Brian Cashman has said that the club is looking to acquire at least two outfielders this offseason, preferably left-handed hitters. The Yankees have expressed interest in trading for the Padres¡¯ Juan Soto and are connected to free agent Cody Bellinger, among other choices.