The Pittsburgh Pirates signed free-agent outfielder Billy McKinney, infielder Sergio Alcantara, outfielder Gilberto Celestino, right-hander Ben Heller, infielder/outfielder Jake Lamb, left-hander Michael Plassmeyer, right-hander Ryder Ryan and right-hander Hunter Stratton to minor-league deals with invites to spring training on Thursday. McKinney was traded to the Pirates from the New York Yankees in December and will now open up the 2024 campaign with the Pirates, albeit likely in the minor leagues. The 29-year-old played in 48 contests at the big-league level with the Yankees in 2023 and hit just .227/.320/406 with six home runs and 14 RBI in 147 plate appearances. The rebuilding Bucs will offer McKinney a better shot at playing time in the majors, but he's off the fantasy radar.
The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired outfielder Billy McKinney from the New York Yankees on Thursday in exchange for international bonus pool money, according to a source. In 2023 with the Yankees, McKinney saw 147 plate appearances over 48 games and went 29-for-128 (.227) with six home runs and 14 RBI. He will strictly serve as veteran outfield depth for the rebuilding Pirates in 2024 but shouldn't expected to be anything more than a bench bat if he's at the major-league level. The 29-year-old outfielder has spent six years in the big leagues with the Toronto Blue Jays, Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Milwaukee Brewers but has hit just over the Mendoza Line and has only 34 home runs and 86 RBI in 311 games played.
Billy McKinney, Anthony Misiewicz Re-Sign With Yankees
Outfielder Billy McKinney and left-hander Anthony Misiewicz have both re-signed with the New York Yankees. Both contracts are of the minor-league variety. McKinney, whose career began with New York in the 2018 season, returned to the organization in the 2023 season and hit .227 with six home runs and one stolen base across 147 trips to the plate. His 101 wRC+ suggests his production was 1% superior to the league average. As for Misiewicz, the 29-year-old made 11 MLB appearances between the D-backs, Tigers, and Yankees in the 2023 season and worked to an unhealthy 7.36 ERA in that time. The southpaw owns a career 4.71 ERA across 130 big-league outings, most of which came with the Seattle Mariners as he made a career-high 66 appearances out of the Mariners' bullpen in the 2021 campaign.
New York Yankees outfielder Billy McKinney is back in the starting lineup Monday night against the Chicago White Sox and right-hander Dylan Cease. The journeyman returned to the Yankees on a minor-league deal this season and raked out of the gate following an early-June promotion. However, the 28-year-old is currently mired in a deep slump, hitting just .137 with two homers, one stolen base, and a .534 OPS across 61 plate appearances since June 25. His lack of production combined with the return of Aaron Judge will hurt his playing time moving forward, although he has produced a healthy .247 isolated power and .760 OPS against right-handed pitching on the season.
New York Yankees outfielder Billy McKinney is out of the lineup for Sunday's matchup with right-hander Chase Anderson and the Colorado Rockies. The 28-year-old is slashing .228/.265/.443 with four homers, eight runs, seven RBI, and no steals across 27 games. Oswaldo Cabrera will take his place in the outfield and bat eighth. The second-year player has left a lot to be desired thus far through 75 games, batting .203 with four long balls and five stolen bases. However, with the club in Colorado, this is the best time to use Cabrera as a streaming option.
Billy McKinney’s Solo Shot Enough To Power Yankees Win
New York Yankees outfielder Billy McKinney went 1-for-3 with a home run in Saturday's 1-0 win over the Texas Rangers. The 28-year-old stopgap solution has reached base safely in each of his 15 games for the Yankees and has smacked three homers in five games for a mini power surge. It's a feel-good story for McKinney, who has bounced around the majors as much as anyone in recent years. The journeyman southpaw is hitting .320 with a 1.006 OPS, four long balls, and seven RBI across 50 at-bats. It's hard to envision much of a rest-of-season outlook for McKinney, but it's slightly clearing up in the short-term with Aaron Judge (toe) without a return timetable.
New York Yankees outfielder Billy McKinney is making his season debut for the big club in Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader versus Lance Lynn and the visiting Chicago White Sox. McKinney had his contract selected and signed a major league contract on Thursday at the same time the club placed Aaron Judge on the IL with a big toe sprain. The second go around for McKinney with the Yankees as he spent a number of seasons in their minor-league system before appearing in two big-league games with the club in the 2018 campaign. The 28-year-old hit .274 with nine homers, three stolen bases, and an .899 OPS across 160 trips to the plate with Triple-A Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season.
The New York Yankees signed free-agent outfielder Billy McKinney to a minor-league deal on Saturday, according to the minor-league transactions age. McKinney was acquired by the Yankees along with infielder Gleyber Torres in the Aroldis Chapman trade back in 2016. He was then traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in the trade involving left-hander J.A. Happ two years later. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter only played in 23 games for the Oakland Athletics in 2022, hitting a miserable .096/.158/.173 with a homer, four RBI and three runs scored in 57 plate appearances. In five big-league seasons, McKinney hasn't made much noise at all with a .206/.277/.387 slash line and a .664 OPS in 263 games played. He'll represent outfield depth once again in the Bronx, but he shouldn't be on the fantasy radar.
Rangers Acquire Billy McKinney And Zach Reks From Dodgers
The Texas Rangers swung a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday, acquiring outfielders Billy McKinney and Zach Reks for cash considerations. Both players had been designated for assignment Friday as Los Angeles cleared room on the 40-man roster. McKinney played for the Brewers, Mets, and Dodgers in 2021, slashing .192/.280/.358 with nine home runs across 300 plate appearances. Reks has just 10 big-league at-bats to his name, but he's slashed .295/.383/.487 in his minor-league career. Both have the opportunity to contribute at the big-league level in 2022, though they'll be hard-pressed to make it onto many fantasy rosters.
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Billy McKinney went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Monday's victory versus the Pittsburgh Pirates. The outfielder tied the game at 1-1 with his rocket to center field off of Anthony Banda in the bottom of the seventh inning. McKinney has been playing regularly with outfielder Mookie Betts (hip) on the 10-day injured list, but he has been in the lineup for his defense and not his offense. Between the Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets and Dodgers, McKinney is hitting .204 with nine home runs, 25 RBI and two stolen bases for the season. He can safely remain on the waiver wire at the moment.
