The Yankees are gearing up to start a new series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night. The Cardinals, a .500 team, have won six of their last nine games and recently split a series with the San Diego Padres. Meanwhile, the Yankees are looking to rebound after dropping a three-game set to the Washington Nationals.
Yankees’ Roster Reinforcements on the Horizon
Over the next month, Manager Aaron Boone will look to reinforce the roster in multiple areas. Anthony Rizzo is expected to return to first base, Clarke Schmidt may be slotted back into the starting rotation, and Ian Hamilton is set to rejoin the bullpen. These moves aim to bolster a team that has faced its share of challenges recently.
Scott Effross: Awaiting the Call-Up
Despite these planned reinforcements, 30-year-old relief pitcher Scott Effross remains in Triple-A, awaiting his next opportunity. Effross has allowed just one earned run over his last eight appearances, suggesting he’s sharp at the highest minor league level and deserving of a promotion. However, the Yankees appear hesitant to elevate him to the majors just yet.
Erik Boland of Newsday Sports reports that the Yankees aren’t seeing the same effectiveness from Effross that he displayed in 2022, before he suffered a UCL injury that required Tommy John surgery.
“Bottom line is organizationally they don’t see his stuff, since he’s come back, as being better than the other options. Reviews I’ve gotten from opposing team scouts assigned the Yankees system (I always double check what those outside the org are seeing) have been mixed at best.” – Boland stated via the X app.
That season, he posted a 2.54 ERA over 56.2 innings, with a 66.9% left-on-base rate and a 44.6% ground ball rate. It’s possible that the break on his pitches isn’t quite what it was, especially following back surgery this past winter.
The Bullpen’s Uncertainty
If Effross isn’t yet where the Yankees need him to be, it complicates matters as the team looks to reinforce a bullpen that has been inconsistent over the past few months. Effross was expected to play a significant role, particularly since the team does not want to rely on arms like Tim Mayza and Tim Hill during postseason action. With his potential to make an impact in the playoffs, Effross needs to elevate his performance to a level where the Yankees feel comfortable using him in high-leverage situations.
Boone’s Optimism for Effross’s Return
Boone recently suggested that Effross is making good progress and that the team is ensuring he’s fully ready after spending two years rehabilitating from several serious injuries.
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“I think he’s been doing a pretty good job now for really a couple weeks,” Boone said. “Stuff’s trending up, so he’s knocking on the door. It’s been tough to carve out a spot right now, but feel like he’s in a pretty good spot.”
The Yankees will closely monitor Effross’s progress as they prepare for the crucial final stretch of the season and potential playoff run.