Yankees further confirm spring competition was pointless by losing pitcher to Braves

The Atlanta Braves, having lost three projected top arms in Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Hurston Waldrep, are desperate for viable starting pitching. The Yankees have plenty of moderately decent depth to dangle, from Paul Blackburn to Ryan Yarbrough to Cade Winquest. Instead of swinging anything at all, though, they merely let an interesting possibility slip away on waivers Tuesday, losing Osvaldo Bido ahead of the roster finalization process.

Did you know Osvaldo Bido was exposed to waivers? I didn't know Osvaldo Bido was exposed to waivers. Makes sense, considering he'd been DFA'd and scooped up by seemingly half the league this winter, but still, a minor shock on an otherwise joyful Tuesday.

The erratic Bido had a tale of two seasons between 2024 and 2025, posting insane, top-of-the-league Statcast numbers in 2024, followed by bottom-of-the-barrel metrics and a 5.87 ERA last year. The Yankees clearly felt like taking a flyer on him, but didn't feel like taking him too seriously, considering he could've and maybe should've opened some eyes this camp.

Seven innings, seven strikeouts, 1.14 WHIP ... was that enough to convince the Yankees they needed to see more in order to determine whether the '24 Bido was back? Apparently not. "Pitching well" does not seem to be something that was considered this spring, and the Yankees' faith in Cade Winquest was more important to them than the stronger performance of Bido (who, again, has actual MLB data that does make you go, "Hmm"). He's an Atlanta Brave now, in a blink.

Are we sure Yankees should've signed Paul Blackburn? It cost them Osvaldo Bido.

Remember all those dueling long men in the Yankees' bullpen? The Blackburn addition indirectly cost them an extended look at Bido, too. After the Yankees signed Ryan Yarbrough, it felt like they were done shopping in the "durable, moderate-ceiling long man who was on the 2025 roster" department. Then, they went and handed Blackburn an MLB deal, all but guaranteeing him a roster spot.

Something about the low-leverage marriage seemed to go really well, for both parties, at the tail end of 2025. What it was, we're not really sure. Either way, Blackburn's arrival gave them one last roster spot to play around with, and Winquest's Rule 5 status sealed it. Bido could've done literally anything this spring, up to and including pitching upside down hanging from a wire, and the Yankees would've disregarded the performance/metrics and gave Blackburn a whirl.

Add Atlanta to the list of teams to watch that have recently given ex-Yankees roster fodder a chance. Rockies/TJ Rumfield and Rays/Cooper Bowman, we're onto you, too.