Official Yankees News: New York Yankees Officially Waived Another Top Superstar After Rejecting Huge Contract Offer

**Yankees Release Duane Underwood Jr.**

The New York Yankees have released right-hander Duane Underwood Jr., who had been pitching for their Triple-A affiliate after joining the team on a minor league deal this offseason. With this move, Underwood is now a free agent and available to sign with any team.

Despite generally strong performance with the Scranton RailRiders, Underwood’s release is notable. He has pitched 38 2/3 innings for Scranton, posting a solid 3.26 ERA and a strikeout rate of 23.4%, which is slightly above the major league average. However, the Yankees did not promote him to the major leagues this season, partly due to his high 14% walk rate, which could indicate potential issues despite his otherwise good earned run average.

Underwood, a second-round pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2012, is now 30 years old and has accumulated over three years of major league service across six seasons with the Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates. He had a relatively successful stint with the Pirates from 2021-22, where he earned a role in high-leverage situations. During those two years, he recorded 130 innings with a 4.36 ERA, a 21.1% strikeout rate, a 9% walk rate, and contributed one save and twelve holds. Although he was perhaps overutilized as a setup man, Underwood demonstrated he could be a reliable middle reliever.

The 2023 season, however, was challenging for Underwood. He pitched only 24 1/3 innings in the majors with a 5.18 ERA, experiencing declines in his strikeout and walk rates. His average sinker velocity dropped from 95.3 mph in 2022 to 93.6 mph in 2023, and he had a career-low 14% strikeout rate paired with an 11% walk rate. Following a waiver claim by the Pirates last June, he became a minor league free agent and subsequently signed with the Yankees.

Overall, Underwood has 190 2/3 innings in the majors with a 4.63 ERA, a 21.5% strikeout rate, and a 9% walk rate. While his Yankees tenure involved primarily short relief work, he has also recorded multiple outs in several appearances. He could be an appealing option for teams seeking an experienced arm capable of handling more than one inning per outing.