Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers to a Minor League contract heading into the 2022 season, Yency Almonte proved to be a valuable piece of their bullpen throughout last season.
Almonte, who joined the Dodgers after spending four seasons with the Colorado Rockies, was an integral part of the relief staff for manager Dave Roberts. He appeared in 33 games for a total of 35.1 innings, yielding an impressive 1.02 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and with 33 strikeouts and .150 batting average against.
After beginning the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Almonte, who was originally selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the 17th round of the 2012 MLB draft, was promoted May 12 to the big league club and stayed there for the entire duration of the season.
The only downside for Almonte in 2022 was dealing with right elbow inflammation that kept him on the 15-day injured list for nearly two months. Almonte received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection and was “in a good place right now” upon returning at the end of September.
Yency Almonte 2022 highlight
While his 1.02 ERA was an indication of consistency all year long, Almonte’s months of May and July were specifically noteworthy, as both featured ERAs under 1.
Across 10 innings of work in the month of May, Almonte delivered a 0.90 ERA, allowing just one earned run and seven hits while striking out 11.
Then in 9.2 innings of work during July, the right-hander allowed one earned run to the tune of a 0.93 ERA with 10 strikeouts. Between July 6 and 12, Almonte contributed four consecutive hitless outings against the Rockies, Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals.
2023 outlook
After picking up Almonte’s contract once he was cut by the Rockies, the Dodgers maintain team control over him until he is set to reach free agency at the conclusion of the 2026 season.
Especially with the strides made since his time spent as a relief pitcher with the Rockies, Almonte has proven he can be a reliable option with consistent figures.
Receiving praise from the Dodgers, and specifically pitching coach Mark Prior, Almonte has displayed his ability to consistently contribute out of the bullpen for Los Angeles, which should secure him a spot for late-game situations during the 2023 season.
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