The Yankees placed left-hander Ryan Yarbrough on the 15-day injured list this morning due to a right oblique strain. Left-hander Jayvien Sandridge was recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move. Sandridge would be making his MLB debut if he were to get into a game with the Yankees. Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports that New York will recall right-hander Allan Winans to start tomorrow’s game against the Reds. Manager Aaron Boone later confirmed Winans’s impending start to reporters (including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com) and noted that Yarbrough’s oblique strain is a low-grade one.
Yarbrough, 33, is in the midst of his eighth big league season. After signing a minor league deal with the Blue Jays this offseason, the veteran did not make the club’s roster out of Spring Training and opted out before signing with the Yankees on a major league deal shortly before Opening Day. The lefty has been an essential arm for New York this year amid injuries throughout the starting rotation. He’s pitched to a 3.90 ERA in 55 1/3 innings of work split between eight starts and eight relief appearances. Since joining the rotation in early May, Yarbrough has posted a 3.83 ERA across 40 innings, with most of the damage against him coming as part of an early June start against the Red Sox where he was rocked for eight runs in four innings.
He’s allowed no more than two runs in his other seven starts, however, and generally been a very reliable back-of-the-rotation arm for the Yankees this year. That makes this a loss that’s particularly difficult for the club the stomach. Max Fried, Clarke Schmidt, and Carlos Rodon have managed to form an impressive front three in the rotation even with Gerrit Cole out of commission this year. Unfortunately, there’s been little certainty behind that group. Will Warren has excellent peripherals through 15 starts but an ugly 4.83 ERA. After a lackluster performances from Marcus Stroman and Carlos Carrasco early in the year, Yarbrough helped to provide some stability to bring up the rear of the rotation.
They’ll need to look elsewhere for now, however, and it seems Winans will be the first player to get a crack at the opportunity. He’s yet to pitch in the majors for the Yankees since being claimed off from the Braves back in January and has a 7.20 ERA in eight career starts at the big league level. Despite those shaky results, he’s been utterly dominant at Triple-A this year with a 0.90 ERA in 50 innings of work. That was enough to earn him a big league call-up, and it’s not impossible to imagine him sticking in the rotation for at least a few starts if he performs well. Stroman is currently rehabbing in the minors, with a 4.05 ERA in 6 2/3 innings across two outings at Double-A, but will likely need to be built up more before he returns to the majors.
For now, Yarbrough’s roster spot will go to Sandridge. The 26-year-old lefty has put up somewhat middling numbers at the minor league level throughout his career but has looked utterly dominant in seven Triple-A innings this year. In that abbreviated sample, he’s allowed just one run (1.29 ERA) while striking out 46.4% of his opponents. Whether Sandridge is just on a hot streak or has unlocked a new level of play, the Yankees clearly felt it was worth giving themselves the option to see what he can do at the big league level while they have a roster spot to spare.
why anyone wouldn’t want Yarborough on their roster is a mystery to me. sure he doesn’t post sexy numbers but he gets people out.
He’s been fairly solid the last few years. Aside from his start at Fenway he has really been a pleasant surprise for the Yankees and has done a good job filling in for the starting rotation which has been depleted by injuries.
Yarby will be missed. A non-prospect 4-A pitcher (Winans) is likely to be as effective as Carrasco was back in April and May.
Must be the strain of throwing 88mph that got him. Get well, Yarby!
I’m a bit bummed by this as he’s done more than expected. I was hoping that the Yankees could trade him at the deadline for bench reinforcements when both Gil and Stro are back.
It’s an ironic post, Yarborough going down with an injury a day after Boone conserves Schmidt with a no hitter working and a nine run lead.
103 pitches, he cant throw another 30 pitches and make a run at history? A no hitter is a big accomplishment in the MLB, you dont get many shots at it.
When a pitcher throws a no hitter, it lifts the entire team up, the fans at the game get a memory of a great acheivement that sticks with them the rest of their lives. Its such a great and rare accomplishment.
To pull the rug on that no hitter, that is such a bummer. Schmidt is bummed, the entire team is bummed. The fans are bummed. You turn what could have been a great boost for the team into a real drag.
Miller: Maybe I’m too analytical but… Schmidt isn’t a horse, dudes had a ton of injuries. I was fine pulling him. Sucks he lost his chance for history but better than going on the IL again.
Winans gets a shot at starting, if he bricks I could see JT Brubaker getting the next go. He was semi stretched out in AAA and could give 80 pitches if needed. They’d just need to not use him in relief again.
Check with Johan Santana about throwing 130+ pitches for a no hitter and get back to me.
No one that understands baseball and pitching health is bummed.
The loudest boos of all were for Gary Sanchez breaking up the no-hitter to start the Baltimore 8th.
Yankee fans know who their favorites truly are.
I’m sure Schmidt will get over it when he makes 60 starts the next 2 years and signs a nine figure contract in ’28.
Brubaker should take his place in the rotation after Winans takes this first turn.
“I wanted to go as deep as I can,” Schmidt said, “but when you’re at the 103(-pitch) mark and you have two more innings to go and you have 80 more games to go, you’ve got to think bigger picture here. It’s a tough conversation to have, and you get frustrated. But it’s kind of a mutual feeling where you’ve got to think big picture here, and is it worth throwing 130 pitches?”
I’m glad Schmidt had a more mature position than you had sitting on your couch. The Yankee Stadium fans already knew it as he left the 7th inning and he received his standing ovatiom.
@bwmiller79
A no-hitter is awesome, but he’s been injured and the Yankees need him healthy the rest of the way. Boone made the best decision for the team.
The Yankees problem is not the pitching. It’s actually better than I expected. The hitters can’t produce in the clutch with 2 out, and for the last decade, it’s been home run or nothing lineup. They continue to lose one run games. They actually have a more athletic team now to steal bases but refuse and continue to wait for the home run.
Yarbrough has been solid. Only the one bad start against the Red Sox…every other start 2 runs or less , and he’s kept the team in the game.