Banuelos signed with the Rakuten Monkeys of the Chinese Professional Baseball League on Wednesday, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.
Banuelos last pitched in the majors in 2022 with the Yankees and Pirates, and he spent the 2023 season in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. The 32-year-old southpaw holds a 5.64 ERA and 1.59 WHIP through 118 major-league innings, and it doesn't appear he will be returning to affiliated ball anytime soon.
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Manny Banuelos: Hits free agency after DFA
Rotowire
The Pirates declined to tender Banuelos a contract for 2023, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
After Banuelos was designated for assignment Tuesday, the writing was already on the wall. Banuelos underwent Tommy John surgery early on in his major-league career and has battled elbow and shoulder trouble since. He's also spent some time overseas.
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Pirates' Manny Banuelos: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Banuelos was designated for assignment by the Pirates on Tuesday.
Banuelos appeared in 35 games between the Yankees and Pirates last year and had a 4.39 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 42:21 K:BB across 41 innings. He was acquired by Pittsburgh in July but won't stick on the 40-man roster through the offseason.
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Pirates' Manny Banuelos: Shipped to Bucs
Rotowire
The Pirates acquired Banuelos from the Yankees on Sunday in exchange for cash considerations.
Banuelos has no minor-league options remaining, so he'll remain in the limbo for the time being until the Pirates are able to open up a spot on the 26-man active roster for him. The 31-year-old lefty was dropped from the Yankees' 40-man roster even though he acquitted himself well over 8.1 innings out of the bullpen, giving up two earned runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out eight.
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Yankees' Manny Banuelos: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Banuelos was designated for assignment Tuesday.
It was a nice story to have Banuelos reunited with his first pro organization, but he only spent about a month on the 40-man roster. He had a 2.16 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 8.1 innings across four appearances out of the bullpen.
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Yankees' Manny Banuelos: Picks up three-inning save
Rotowire
Banuelos allowed a run on three hits and no walks while striking out four in three innings to earn the save in Sunday's win over the Cubs.
Banuelos entered Sunday's matchup with the Yankees holding a 12-3 lead, and he picked up his first career save by pitching the final three innings of the game. The southpaw has posted a 1.29 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in seven innings over his first three major-league appearances but is unlikely to work his way into many high-leverage situations in spite of Sunday's save.
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Yankees' Manny Banuelos: Contract selected by Yankees
Rotowire
Banuelos' contract was selected by the Yankees on Thursday.
Banuelos joined the Yankees as a non-roster invitee this spring, but he began the season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and posted a 2.35 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 30.2 innings over seven appearances (five starts). He should serve mainly as a low-leverage reliever for the major-league club.
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Yankees' Manny Banuelos: Sent to minor-league camp
Rotowire
The Yankees reassigned Banuelos to minor-league camp Tuesday.
Banuelos hasn't pitched in the majors since 2019 and was attending camp as a non-roster invitee, but he had been making a run at a spot in the Yankees' Opening Day bullpen thanks to a big spring. Through three Grapefruit League outings, Banuelos has struck out seven over six scoreless frames while allowing two hits and no walks. Though he'll miss out on the Opening Day roster and is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he'll get one more chance to impress this spring, as he's scheduled to start Tuesday's Grapefruit League finale against the Tigers.
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Yankees' Manny Banuelos: Inks MiLB deal with Yankees
Rotowire
Banuelos signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees on Monday, Sung Min Kim of The Athletic reports.
Banuelos agreed to a contract with the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League in June of 2020, where he recorded a 2.94 ERA and 1.33 WHIP with a 64:19 K:BB across 49 innings pitched. His last big-league experience dates back to 2019, when he appeared in 16 games (eight starts) for the White Sox. He finished the 2019 season with a 6.93 ERA and a 44:33 K:BB in 50.2 frames. Banuelos will return to the United States for spring training, where he'll look to prove that he has more gas left in the tank.
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Manny Banuelos: Heading to CPBL
Rotowire
Banuelos agreed to a contract last week with the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League, CPBLStats.com reports.
After being cut loose by the Mariners in May, Banuelos didn't take long to find work overseas. The 29-year-old lefty should claim a spot in the Fubon rotation and will look to find success in Taiwan before likely exploring a move back to affiliated ball in 2021.
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Manny Banuelos: Sent packing by Seattle
Rotowire
The Mariners released Banuelos on Thursday.
After spending the past three seasons exclusively in the minors, Banuelos resurfaced in MLB with the White Sox in 2019, starting in eight of his 16 appearances and registering a 6.93 ERA and 44:33 K:BB in 50.2 innings. Those poor numbers and his history of injuries forced Banuelos to settle for a minor-league deal this winter, and though his contract included an invitation to big-league camp, he wasn't a serious candidate to crack the Mariners' Opening Day roster.
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Mariners' Manny Banuelos: Joins Seattle
Rotowire
Banuelos signed with the Mariners as a non-roster invitee Tuesday, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports.
Banuelos spent 2019 with the White Sox but posted a 6.93 ERA, 1.84 WHIP and 44:33 K:BB in 16 appearances, including eight starts. The 28-year-old hadn't previously worked in the majors since 2015, and he seems unlikely to be a significant factor for the Mariners barring a serious turnaround.
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Manny Banuelos: Heading to free agency
Rotowire
Banuelos was outrighted to Triple-A Charlotte on Monday and will become a minor-league free agent at the end of the World Series.
Banuelos pitched in the big leagues in 2019 for the first time since 2015 but did very little to suggest that he deserved another chance. In 50.2 innings of work, he posted a 6.93 ERA, striking out 18.7 percent of opposing batters while walking 14.0 percent.
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White Sox's Manny Banuelos: Mops up in blowout loss
Rotowire
Banuelos tossed two scoreless innings in relief Tuesday in the White Sox's 11-0 loss to the Indians. He gave up no hits and a walk and struck out two in the 40-pitch appearance.
Banuelos was briefly shut down earlier this month due to a bruised left foot, but he returned to action in a bullpen role over the weekend. With a doubleheader on tap Friday against the Tigers, the White Sox will need to add a sixth starter to the mix at some point this weekend. Banuelos could be a top candidate to fill that opening.
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White Sox's Manny Banuelos: Diagnosed with bruised foot
Rotowire
Banuelos was diagnosed with a bruised left foot after leaving Monday night's game against the Indians, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
This is good news for Banuelos, who was struck by a comebacker and forced to exit the ballgame. Considering the nature of the injury, he's unlikely to require a trip to the injured list.
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White Sox's Manny Banuelos: Back from IL
Rotowire
The White Sox reinstated Banuelos (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list Sunday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
Shut down since mid-June with the left shoulder issue, Banuelos spent most of August on the farm rehabbing the injury. He eventually made his way to Triple-A Charlotte for his fifth and final rehab appearance during the past week, covering four innings and giving up seven runs during that outing. Though he made eight starts for the White Sox prior to hitting the shelf, Banuelos is expected to work in relief initially in his return to the big club.
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White Sox's Manny Banuelos: Completes second rehab start
Rotowire
Banuelos (shoulder) worked four innings Monday in his second rehab start with the White Sox's rookie-level Arizona League affiliate. He allowed no runs on no hits and one walk and struck out five.
After the lights-out showing at rookie ball, Banuelos looks ready to test himself at a higher-level affiliate in what would likely mark the final step of his rehab program. Banuelos, who has been on the shelf since mid-June with the shoulder issue, isn't certain to recapture a rotation spot with Chicago once he's activated from the 60-day injured list.
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White Sox's Manny Banuelos: Shifts to 60-day injured list
Rotowire
Banuelos (shoulder) was moved to the 60-day injured list Tuesday.
The move doesn't appear to have any effect on Banuelos' return date, as he's been on the injured list for nearly 60 days already and his return doesn't appear to be imminent. It clears a spot for Hector Santiago's contract to be selected from Triple-A Charlotte.
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White Sox's Manny Banuelos: Set for sim game
Rotowire
Banuelos (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a simulated game this week, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
Banuelos has been sidelined since mid-June with left shoulder inflammation, but he's making solid progress in his recovery at the team's spring training facilities in Arizona. If everything goes well during the southpaw's simulated outing Thursday, he could be cleared to begin a minor-league rehab assignment shortly thereafter.
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White Sox's Manny Banuelos: Lands on IL
Rotowire
Banuelos was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with left shoulder inflammation.
Banuelos apparently picked up the injury during his most recent appearance, which came in relief against the Yankees over the weekend. The severity of the issue is not yet known, leaving the left-hander without a timetable for his return. Dylan Covey was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte in a corresponding move.
