The New York Yankees signed free-agent right-hander Phil Bickford to a minor-league deal on Tuesday. Bickford was a first-round pick (18th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 2015 out of Southern Nevada. He became a free agent after the Mets released him after spring training. Bickford pitched for the Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023 and relies mostly on a four-seam fastball and slider combination. The 28-year-old reliever will report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and will give the Yankees minor-league relief depth this year. In a career-high 61 relief appearances in LA and New York last year, Bickford had a 4.95 ERA (4.46 FIP), a 1.45 WHIP, one save, 39 walks and a career-high 76 strikeouts in 67 1/3 frames. Bickford isn't anywhere near the fantasy radar.
The New York Mets released right-handed reliever Phil Bickford on Tuesday. The move comes after the Mets designated Bickford for assignment last weekend. The 28-year-old former Dodgers reliever will now be on the open market with Opening Day coming on Thursday. Bickford spent the 2023 season with both the Dodgers and Mets, pitching to a 5-5 record with a 4.95 ERA (4.46 FIP), a 1.45 WHIP, one save, 39 walks and a career-high 76 strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. He was originally drafted 18th overall in 2015 by the San Francisco Giants out of Southern Nevada. Bickford has a career 4.43 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with two saves and 204 strikeouts in 180 2/3 innings with the Dodgers, Mets and Brewers in four MLB seasons.
Right-handed reliever Phil Bickford won his salary arbitration case against the New York Mets on Tuesday and will now earn $900,000 for the 2024 season. The Mets had offered $815,000. Bickford began the 2023 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers before joining the Mets in the middle of the season. In total, the 28-year-old reliever had a 4.95 ERA (4.46 FIP) with one save, a 1.45 WHIP, 39 walks and a career-high 76 strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings pitched over 61 appearances out of the bullpen. He'll be off the fantasy radar altogether and has posted a 4.43 ERA (4.24 FIP), two saves, a 1.24 WHIP and a 26.6 percent strikeout rate in 179 outings out of the bullpen (180 2/3 innings) over his four major-league seasons.
