Desperate times call for desperate measures! So is the case with the New York Yankees, who are facing hurdles in their pitching front. In the last few games, the Yankees’ relievers have been a glaring issue, leaking away too many runs and causing a big gap in their roster. The Yankees have optioned Brent Headrick to Triple-A and given right-hander Yerry De Los Santos some rest after their game against the Royals on Wednesday. But what then?
Well, they need a reliever. But before that, manager Aaron Boone should probably make sure he purchases insurance for the players in the upcoming match. Especially when he decided to call up Scott Effross. “Oh my god, he’s alive.” Yes, that much surprise the news came up with. And why not! We haven’t heard of him for a long time.
But the shock was more because this right-handed pitcher had a 12.71 ERA in his last five outings. And Aaron Boone told us why. “He’s built-up a little bit. A couple of guys that would be in play, too, aren’t lined up today to give us some length in Thursday’s game. He can give us a little bit of length.” Now that the 31-year-old pitcher is being closely monitored, Boone remains optimistic that Effross can make his presence count in the major league.
With De Los Santos and Headrick out, even with a “little mixed” review, Boone feels he is fit to go. But the issue is that Effross has remained on the injured list most of the time ever since he got traded from the Cubs in 2022. But in just 13 games, he did display some of his best pitches, recording a 2.13 ERA. Sadly, though, the good times were short-lived! He went down with an elbow injury, prompting him to go for Tommy John surgery.
Now, Aaron Boone has put more faith in the reliever by selecting Scott Effross over Clayton Beeter, who was with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and had a better ERA (1.64). Although it may come across as somewhat biased, Boone is still doubtful that Beeter will give him two pitches. The way he pitched an inning on Tuesday didn’t look like they could get what they wanted. But probably, there’s more…
There’s no doubt that the Yankees have batted exceptionally, scoring more runs in most of the games. But too much reliance on their batting to leave out their poor pitching might not align with their postseason dreams. With the offensive pressure mounting on them, they desperately need some reinforcements. And Scott Effross might be the only option left for them right now.
But even if they get Effross in the lineup, there are some concerns with him.
Know the reasons behind the Yankees’ Triple-A pitcher getting sidelined
Ever given it a thought why Triple-A pitcher Scott Effross wasn’t made a part of the Yankees roster? Well, it’s not just the 12.71 ERA. First of all, while recovering from the Tommy John surgery, he ended up injuring his back once again. What followed was another surgery, which cut short his play until July last year.
No wonder fans are worried and literally praying for his health!
After recovering, he made an entry to the majors quite late. However, his three September appearances were a complete disaster, as he pitched ten innings with a 9.00 ERA and gave up 10 runs on 19 hits.
So, basically, Effross’s battle with injuries or performance is nothing new. Perhaps one of the major reasons behind his getting optioned to Triple-A.
However, now that Scott Effross is on his way back to the Yankees clubhouse for the Thursday game at Kauffman Stadium, we hope that he gets more chances to play. In the last game he played on June 8, in his 5 2/3 innings, he gave up eight earned runs along with two walks, but also struck out nine batters. Another positive was that he didn’t allow any earned runs.
This time, maybe he will get to play more games and prove that the Yankees’ decision made sense. The upcoming game will definitely show what’s in store…
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