Yankees right-hander Scott Effross exited his Grapefruit League debut after one pitch due to what looked to be a leg injury earlier this week. Manager Aaron Boone announced this morning that imaging has indeed revealed a notable injury: a Grade 2 strain of the reliever’s left hamstring (link via Greg Joyce of the New York Post). Effross received a platelet-rich plasma injection this morning and appears to be facing a relatively lengthy absence. “It’s going to take some time,” Boone told the Yankees beat.
It’s a brutal blow for a talented but snakebit reliever who’s dealt with myriad injuries in recent years. Acquired by the Yankees in a 2022 trade sending Hayden Wesneski to the Cubs, Effross has managed only 16 big league innings for New York since that deadline swap. He pitched 12 2/3 excellent innings down the stretch in ’22 (2.13 ERA, 23.5% strikeout rate, 7.8% walk rate) but required Tommy John surgery late in the year.
That operation cost Effross the entire 2023 season. The hope had been that he’d be ready to go for the 2024 season, but Effross began experiencing back pain in the 2023-24 offseason and required surgery that December. Recovery from that second operation shelved him into mid-July. He allowed two runs in 3 1/3 big league innings last summer, spending the bulk of his time pitching in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he threw quite well. In 35 1/3 minor league frames last year, Effross logged a 2.55 earned run average with a solid 23.4% strikeout rate, an even stronger 6.6% walk rate and a mammoth 61.7% grounder rate. His already pedestrian sinker velocity dipped from a pre-surgery high of 90.7 mph to 89.4 mph in Scranton, but Effross’ results were clearly sharp in spite of that decline.
The Yankees haven’t provided a firm timetable. Two years ago, on Feb. 13, the Yankees announced a Grade 2 hamstring strain for Nestor Cortes, who was shut down from throwing for two weeks but recovered well enough to take the mound for his season debut on April 3. Even injuries with the same diagnosis can come with different timeframes, however. Cortes, for instance, didn’t require a PRP injection, which already signals that the two injuries aren’t necessarily analogous.
With Effross out of the picture for the time being, Boone’s bullpen will feature Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Ian Hamilton, Tim Hill, Mark Leiter Jr. and trade acquisition Fernando Cruz. Marcus Stroman is trending toward a relief role as well, though the Yankees have been working to trade him this winter. Right-hander JT Brubaker, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2022 due to injury, is also in the mix given that he has five years of MLB service time and thus can’t be optioned without his consent. The Effross injury and a potential trade of Stroman could open the door for Clayton Beeter or a non-roster veteran like Tyler Matzek or Rob Zastryzny to win a job as well.
In 74 2/3 innings at the major league level, the 31-year-old Effross touts a 2.89 ERA, 27.2% strikeout rate, 6% walk rate, 45.9% grounder rate and 0.72 homers per nine innings. He’s picked up 19 holds and four saves in 77 MLB appearances.
It was his second spring appearance, not his first.
Is this a 60 day DL, or something (they hope) is of a lesser nature. It could cause difficult choices, and Stroman situation could get messier, especially if they need another bullpen arm.
Probably 60-day IL since he can’t throw and will need to build back up again.
Why is it every time I hear about Effross it reminds me of what Rachel was thinking when she was told “We were on a break”.
this guy is made of plastic
Stroman, Cabrera and cash to the Marlins for Norby and a AA lotto ticket makes sense.
No it does not make sense. lol
Except nobody wants Stroman
Teams could use him. The Yankees just need to cover more salary and they’ve been hesitant to do so
So far….
Why would ANYONE want him? He’s a headache, he’s older, and he’s a back of the rotation starter at best at this point in his career.
Even if the Yankees paid 90% of his contract, they aren’t getting anyone worthwhile in return for him.
1 week into Spring training…..the Yankees, should they decide to move him, just need to wait until pitching needy teams or any team for that matter has pitching injuries that will impact their seasons…….saying nobody wants him…..there’s aways somebody needy enough to jump….
Bendix would block Cashman’s number if he called with that offer.
Effross just has very little luck,
This poor guy. Sheesh.
Velma pulls off Scott’s mask to reveal the real culprit…Anthony Rendon.
It seems this is not a life-threatening condition so he will not need thoughts and prayers.
To those who have yet to post regarding the Effross injury. Please refrain from putting together a package of Stroman and LeMahieu for a controllable young player that has + value. Nobody wants your garbage.
My initial reaction is to just cut Effross given his multiple injuries. However, he does have two options left and isn’t making a big salary. Makes sense to keep him to see if they can get any value later on.
They really needed to move on from Loaisiga
to save the 5M. There’s more than enough depth with remaining options to ride the Scranton Shuttle.
They resigned Lasagna back last December and could’ve non-tendered him. He’s not due to come back until July and has a ’26 team option.
They keep compounding mistakes. Finally moved on from Lou Trivino but not Loaisiga.
health is the 6th tool
some players just don’t have it but i hope effross (and johnny lasagna) prove me wrong
There it is. Thats our season its so over bros
They traded for the guy, plopped him into 8 games in 19 days, then he missed 5 weeks, then they plopped him into 5 more games in the last two weeks of the season. This guy was way beyond anything he had done in the majors at that point. Missed the postseason and the entire next year. That’s Dr. Boonedoggle, pitcher killer.
What a horrible organization to pitch for(k).
Fire cashman
the second coming of Carl Pavano