Yoendrys Gomez Claimed By Los Angeles Dodgers
Yoendrys Gomez, a Venezuelan relief pitcher, was designated for assignment by the New York Yankees and claimed on waivers by the Los Angeles Dodgers. This is even though Gomez had a 2.70 earned run average for the Yankees this season.
He was the victim of a roster crunch with the Yankees. He was out of options, and the Yankees needed to make room on the roster for veteran reliever Tyler Matzek. Gomez is well on his way to becoming the next great relief pitcher in Dodgers history. He recorded his first career save on April 27 in his team debut. Have any other relief pitchers gotten their first career save in their team debut?
Yoendrys Gomez’s Career
Gomez signed with the New York Yankees organization as an international free agent out of Venezuela on July 2, 2016. He played his first professional season the following year, pitching to a cumulative 0–3 record and 5.40 ERA in 11 games between the two low-level teams. In 2018, Gomez returned to the two teams, recording a 4–1 record and 2.08 ERA in 12 appearances. So, he did better.
In 2019, he split the season between low-level teams. He posted a 4–5 record and a 3.99 earned run average with 53 strikeouts in 56.1 innings. That was good power production for a young pitcher. He did not play a minor league game in 2020 since the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The New York Yankees added him to their 40-man roster after the 2020 season.
Gomez was assigned to Single-A to begin the 2021 season, posting a 3.42 ERA with 29 strikeouts across 9 starts before getting hurt. Pitching for the Somerset Patriots (AA level) in 2022, he pitched the first five innings of a combined seven-inning no-hitter on September 7. In 19 starts for Somerset, he logged a 3.58 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 65.1 innings. Again, good numbers.
On September 22, 2023, he was promoted to the major leagues for the first time and made his major league debut on September 28. He threw two scoreless innings against the Toronto Blue Jays. He was optioned to the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders to begin the 2024 season.
Gómez made six appearances for the Yankees in 2025, recording a 2.70 earned run average with five strikeouts over 10 innings of work. Gómez was designated for assignment by New York on April 22, 2025, and he was claimed by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Conclusion
It is strange when you think about it. Gomez has gone from the New York Yankees to the Los Angeles Dodgers. There is an argument to be made that he has a much higher upside than Tyler Matzek and that the Yankees made a mistake. Time will tell. Though it is a shame to see the Yankees give up on international signees.
