The Yankees somewhat quietly signed veteran lefty Dan Jennings to a minor league contract earlier this month — there was no formal announcement from the big league club — and they’ve now bumped him up to the Triple-A level after a pair of outings with Class-A Tampa, per Donnie Collins of the Scranton Times-Tribune (Twitter link). Catcher Ryan Lavarnway was released from the Yankees’ Triple-A club to make room on the roster.
Jennings, 32, scuffled through a nightmarish stint with the Nationals earlier this season. In eight appearances, he allowed eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits and seven walks in just 4 2/3 innings. Jennings did whiff nine hitters in that brief stint, but the Nats didn’t see enough to keep Jennings around in their floundering bullpen. He was designated for assignment and elected free agency after clearing waivers.
Things have gone better in Jennings’ two outings in High-A as he’s ramped back up after a near two-month layoff between outings. He’s pitched a combined five innings and allowed one run on three hits and no walks with six strikeouts. And it’s worth noting that unlike many reclamation projects who sign minor league deals, Jennings isn’t far removed from big league success at all. Just last season, Jennings pitched to a 3,22 ERA with 6.3 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, 0.84 HR/9 and a 56.1 percent ground-ball rate in 64 1/3 innings with the Brewers. Left-handed batters posted a terrible .226/.266/.304 batting line against him.
The Yankees’ bullpen is obviously a rather strong unit, but the clubs lacks a second setup lefty beyond Zack Britton. Closer Aroldis Chapman, of course, throws from the left side but is typically reserved for save opportunities. New York currently has Nestor Cortes Jr. in a long relief role, but he’s been shuttled back and forth between the Bronx and Scranton so far in 2019. Jennings will give the team a potential option to be that second lefty, and his move up to Triple-A seemingly makes him a near-term option, should a need arise.
As for Lavarnway, the former Red Sox/Braves/A’s/Pirates/Orioles backstop will return to the open market after hitting .213/.333/.315 with three home runs in 129 trips to the plate with the RailRiders. The 31-year-old is a career .208/.268/.326 hitter in 426 MLB plate appearances and a .272/.364/.424 batter in nearly 2,000 Triple-A plate appearances.
Is Jennings trying to become a starter? Because he had two starts at Class A. I know they were only for five innings combined. Could be a good five/six inning guy.
No… a lot of times teams start guys in the minors and they only throw an inning or two just to ensure they get their work in for that day
amazing how this guy cant find a major league job with all the horrid bullpen arms that currently do.
Hes got a career ERA as 3.10. Could be a good addition if used correctly
I could see him in the fourth inning after cc breaks his jaw yelling at the other team or the umpire or at space aliens or at the tv cameraman or the ballboy or his shoes or the walt disney fairy or at a rump rally or …
Dramatic much?
Jealousy
Don’t worry, you won’t have to deal with him much longer. He’ll be retiring after the Yankees win the WS this year and get him one last ring.
Not unless they trade for an ace pitcher. They don’t have the pitching to even make it to the World Series right now. Paxton hasn’t even pitched one inning in the postseason yet.
Oh, and you have a crystal ball about these things we guess?
Once the playoffs start, you never know how games will transpire forward….
Did anybody think,,,,,anybody think that Steve Pearce would become Superman and win the WS MVP award and carry the team to the title?
Thank you.
Can’t stand people that talk in absolutes. Anything can happen in the playoffs. It’s such a small sample. It’s quite illogical the champion isn’t crowned in the regular season.
And didn’t the Dodgers have better starting pitching than the Red Sox last year? How did that work out?
The Braves had some of the best rotations in the 90’s, 1 ring to show for it.
Personally hoping the Yankees don’t make a single move.
Agreed, love that there are still some people here who use their brains. Didn’t expect a fly ball and Vázquez homerun to do the Yankees in game 1 in the ALDS. So anyone can become a hero in the postseason.
I recall them winning it all using Sabathia burnett and Pettitte as the only starters in a world series . Burnett had an ERA over 4 that season. You can win a short series with limited starting pitching if you have 3 or 4 lights out relievers
Britton
Ottavino
Chapman
Kahnle
Green
Maybe betances
Yeah the starters only need to go 4 innings and the game is over
SaberSmuckers I agree 100%. I think the rotation is good enough combined with that pen to make it to and win the series. They have Severino coming back at some point and maybe Jordan Montgomery will contribute as well. I would hold on to the prospects for another year and next year they’ll be even stronger. I think the only thing they might do is add another reliever for backup but even that I don’t think is a guarantee. I like the idea of a young Deivi Garcia pitching in relief for them down the stretch he’s got electric stuff.
Steven Tyler’s first hit song.
The Yankees lack the starting pitching to make it past the ALCS. They can slug through a 5-game series but they are no match for the Astros top 3 guys.
Are you talking about the same Astros the Yankees recently took three out of four from?
Results from ONE regular season series mean squat.
The same Astros who took 4 out of 7 from the Yankees this year!
and things that haven’t happened mean even less.
Yankees are not winning a thing unless they trade for a stud pitcher. They got a great shot this year no excuses not to land a Stroman/Bum/Bauer/Thor if the Indians and Mets decide to unload. Matching Cole and Verlander with Happ and Tanaka wont do it bud.
Well, when you match a team’s 1 and 2 with another team’s 1/2 and 4/5, it usually won’t look very good for the later. That being said, your point isn’t being missed. Verlander/Cole vs. Tanaka/Paxton would be the apples to apples comparison as of right now, and that pitching match-up pretty obviously favors the Astros, and the Yankees could definitely use a guy to slot in there at the top, but it isn’t quite as ridiculously bad as you’re making it sound.
Does the 12-2 Domingo German count??
And who can the Astros match the yanks up with in the bullpen? The Astros bullpen is a joke compared to the yankees
With the way Cashman is going this year, expect a Rolaids Relief Award for Jennings…..
He’s not closing out games. Tums’ Comeback Fall Reliever Award.
Solid pickup. Can probably be used as an opener for a resting SP or lefty reliever. Like others, I’m surprised he wasn’t offered a MLB contract by another club.
Yesterday Gore was being hailed as the second coming of Ricky Henderson by Yankees fans. Gives one a good laugh indeed.
Gores name fell off the wall when the Yankees FO and Cashman slapped crap against it.
He could potentially take precious playing time away from Gardner. Isn’t that what your heart deeply desires?
One can only hope.
Yeah who needs 3 win players
Please, name two Yankees fans who made that comparison, or anything close. What’s laughable is your inability to distinguish reality from the product of your own hazy imagination.
You must be new around these parts. Just stick around awhile and you’ll catch my drift.
+Bocephus
oh cool, doesnt actually provide evidence of the claims he made. no one said gore was Ricky. If you were to actually read for once you’d see that people were saying that its a move that doesnt hurt and that a speedy guy used solely pinch run could prove useful in the playoffs
Chill rocky
+chinwood
Oh my bad was I talking about baseball? Im still not even sure why you think I’m rocky
Lavarnway was a key part of Team Israel in its impressive showing in the World Baseball Classic a couple of years ago. Israel clinched another invite by virtue of its play in the last one so it won’t have to go through qualifiers again this time. He’ll probably be back on the team.