Yohan Flande clears waivers, will be a spring training NRI for Rockies

Yohan Flande cleared waivers on Friday and was assigned to Triple-A Albuqerque, the team announced. He will be a non-roster invitee for spring training.

Having signed veteran right-hander Kyle Kendrick to a one-year, $5.5 million deal, the Rockies needed to make room for him on their 40-man roster and did so today by designating another pitcher, lefty Yohan Flande, for assignment.

Flande, who turned 29 last week, made his major league debut for the Rockies in 2014, making 16 appearances, including 10 starts, and pitching 59 innings. In those 59 innings he posted a 5.19 ERA and 4.00 FIP, allowing 55 hits, five of them home runs, with 16 walks and 34 strikeouts.

The addition of Kendrick along with the recent trade with the Braves for pitchers David Hale and Gus Schlosser made Flande an expendable piece on the Rockies' 40-man roster, though according to The Denver Post's Nick Groke, the team would like him back.

#Rockies GM Jeff Bridich said that he expects and hopes Yohan Flande will be back with the team. He was DFA'd today for Kyle Kendrick.

— Nick Groke (@nickgroke) February 4, 2015

If Flande does return, he would likely compete for a spot in the Rockies' bullpen, which is where he saw big league success last season, tossing six scoreless innings in his six relief appearances.