The New York Yankees made several adjustments to their roster on Sunday afternoon following a hefty 11-3 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers the previous evening. In a significant shake-up within their bullpen, the Yankees designated Dennis Santana for assignment, a move we anticipated last week here at Empire Sports Media and has now been officially implemented.
Yankees Adjust Bullpen After Tough Loss
Santana, 28, struggled significantly this season, posting a career-low 6.26 strikeouts per nine, with a 54% left-on-base rate and a 34.9% ground ball rate, culminating in a 6.26 ERA over 27.1 innings.
With no minor-league options left, Santana’s inability to be sent down to Triple-A without passing through waivers meant his time on the roster was precarious. It’s possible he may go unclaimed, allowing the Yankees to outright him back to Triple-A.
In response to this bullpen vacancy, the Yankees promoted Ron Marinaccio, who is experiencing somewhat of a renaissance after a down year in 2023.
Marinaccio, who made his MLB debut in 2022 with a stellar 2.05 ERA over 44 innings, saw a performance dip last year with a 3.99 ERA over 47.1 innings, leading to his demotion. This season, Marinaccio has shown impressive improvements, boasting a 1.42 ERA over 12.2 innings with the Yankees and a 1.17 ERA over 15.1 innings in Triple-A Scranton.
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Marinaccio’s arsenal includes one of the most effective change-ups on the team, featuring 82.2 mph velocity with 10% more vertical movement and 23% more horizontal movement than average. Additionally, his four-seam fastball exhibits 46% more horizontal movement, with 11.6 inches of break. Improvements in his accuracy have been pivotal, aiding his resurgence and encouraging the Yankees to restore their confidence in his abilities.