Oscar González DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

New York Yankees outfielder Oscar Gonzalez (face) suffered a right orbital fracture during Monday's 8-5 exhibition game loss to the Diablos Rojos, per the Athletic's Brendan Kuty. The 26-year-old was taken to the hospital after fouling a ball off his face. While manager Aaron Boone announced earlier in the day that Gonzalez had been re-assigned to minor-league camp, he had put together a strong spring, batting .326 in 46 plate appearances.

The New York Yankees outrighted infielder Jeter Downs and outfielder Oscar Gonzalez to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. Downs and Gonzalez are now off the team's 40-man roster with spring training quickly approaching. Both players were claimed off waivers by the Yankees this offseason and will provide organizational depth for the 2024 campaign. Downs, 25, only has 50 career major-league plate appearances and has disappointed with a .182/.260/.273 slash line at the plate. Gonzalez, 26, impressed as a rookie in 2022 with the Cleveland Guardians but regressed last season with a .214/.239/.312 slash line, two home runs and 12 RBI in 54 games before being sent to the minors.

To make room on the 40-man roster for the recent signing of right-hander Marcus Stroman, the New York Yankees designated outfielder Oscar Gonzalez for assignment on Wednesday. The Yankees also added outfielders Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo this offseason, so they had no real need for Gonzalez on their depth chart. Gonzalez hit .296 (107-for-362) with 11 home runs, 43 RBI and 39 runs scored in 91 games in his rookie season for the Cleveland Guardians in 2022, but his average fell to .214 (37-for-173) with only two homers and 12 RBI in 54 games in 2023 and was demoted to Triple-A during the season. The 26-year-old Dominican was pretty unlucky at the plate last year, but he's going to need to make more contact wherever he lands next to come close to approaching his rookie numbers.