The Yankees’ 40-man roster has been stuck in limbo for months, with nowhere to turn. Now, they’re betting on a waiver wire wildcard to solve it.
New York pulled the trigger Thursday, claiming right-hander Osvaldo Bido off waivers from the Angels while designating infielder Braden Shewmake for assignment. On paper, it looks like just another organizational shuffle. But this move tells us everything about where the Yankees stand heading into spring training—and why they’re willing to gamble on a pitcher nobody else wanted to keep.
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The Pitcher Who’s Been Everywhere and Nowhere
Osvaldo Bido is 30 years old and currently holds one of baseball’s strangest resumes. Since December, he’s been claimed off waivers by five different teams—Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Miami, the Angels, and now the Yankees. Each time, he’s been assigned before throwing a single pitch.
Why does everyone keep taking a chance on him? Because buried beneath the chaos is real talent.
In 2024, pitching for Oakland in their final season at the Coliseum, Bido posted a sparkling 3.41 ERA over 63.1 innings, striking out 63. His slider was filthy. His command was sharp. Teams noticed.
Then 2025 happened.
The Athletics moved to Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, a minor league ballpark that played like a launching pad. Bido got crushed. He gave up 19 home runs in just 79.2 innings and watched his ERA balloon to 5.87. The same pitcher who surrendered only three homers the year before suddenly couldn’t keep the ball in the yard.
That context matters. Sacramento’s environment was brutal for pitchers, and Bido wasn’t the only one to struggle there. The Yankees’ front office clearly believes the 2024 version is the real one—and that a return to a major league stadium could unlock that form again.
Why Braden Shewmake Had to Go
To make room for Bido, the Yankees finally cut ties with Shewmake, a move that’s been coming for months.
Shewmake arrived in New York exactly one year ago after being claimed from Kansas City. He’s a former first-round pick by Atlanta back in 2019 and carries a reputation as a strong defender at multiple infield positions. But his bat never showed up.
In 71 career big league plate appearances, he’s hitting just .118 with a .191 slugging percentage. That’s not a typo—those numbers are real, and they’re brutal. Even at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season, where he played the entire year without a single call-up, he managed only a .244 average with four home runs in 279 at-bats.
The real problem? Shewmake ran out of minor league options. That meant the Yankees couldn’t send him down without exposing him to waivers, effectively burning a valuable 40-man roster spot on a player with no clear path to the majors. For a team trying to optimize every roster edge, that spot had been collecting dust for far too long.
What Happens Next
Bido isn’t walking into a guaranteed job. The Yankees already have long relievers Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough penciled in, and the rotation is set. He’ll report to spring training in Tampa and compete for a swingman or bullpen depth role—assuming New York even keeps him that long.
Teams commonly place injured players on the 60-day injured list to open 40-man spots, and clubs sometimes make short-term waiver claims as placeholders; the Yankees could use that kind of roster flexibility if needed, but there’s no single league-wide ‘60-day IL opening’ scheduled next week.
But if Bido sticks? If pitching coach Matt Blake can help him rediscover that 2024 slider and shore up his command? Then the Yankees just landed a high-upside arm for absolutely nothing.
After being designated for assignment, the Yankees have up to seven days to trade, release, or place Shewmake on outright/unconditional-release waivers; if he is placed on waivers, other clubs have the normal claim window (roughly 48 hours) to submit a claim, and if he clears, the Yanks can outright him to the minors.
For now, the Yankees have done what they’ve been doing all winter—staying active on the waiver wire, cycling through depth pieces, and searching for marginal gains wherever they can find them. Spring training starts next week, and every roster spot suddenly matters more than ever.
Vikas Tiwari, writer and editor focused on Yankees news, rumors, trade updates, and game coverage, emphasizing accuracy, sourcing, and clarity.
