New York Yankees Send Veteran Reliever Back Down to Minors After Brief Stint

The Yankees made the announcement on their off day, ahead of Friday’s three-game series in Chicago.

Oct 3, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Scott Effross (59) delivers a pitch to the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field. The Yankees won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images / Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images

When the New York Yankees open their three-game series at Wrigley Field on Friday, one former Chicago Cub will not be present.

On Thursday morning, the Yankees announced they had optioned right-handed reliever Scott Effross to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. This move paved the way for right-hander Luis Gil, who was activated from the injured list shortly thereafter. Gil is scheduled to start Friday's series opener. 

Effross, 30, was called up on Sept. 1 and made his first major league appearance since 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery shortly after being traded from the Cubs at the 2022 deadline. His return was further delayed by back surgery in February. 

The St. Louis Cardinals gave Effross a rough welcome on Sunday, tagging him for three hits—including a two-run homer by Jordan Walker—in just two-thirds of an inning. He rebounded on Wednesday in Arlington, however, throwing 1.1 scoreless innings against the Texas Rangers, striking out two and walking one while allowing no hits. Of his 23 pitches, 15 were strikes. 

Effross has proven to be a valuable asset when healthy, which is why the Yankees traded pitching prospect Hayden Wesneski to get him with five years of team control. At the start of his tenure in the Bronx, Effross notched three saves, three holds, and a 2.13 ERA across 13 relief outings, delivering 12.2 innings with a 1.03 WHIP, while primarily pitching in high-leverage situations. Over his career, he owns a 2.95 ERA and a 2.81 FIP in 73.1 innings. 

The Yankees are also expected to activate right-hander Clarke Schmidt on Saturday, with reliever Ian Hamilton possibly following. However, more roster moves will be necessary to make room. Ron Marinaccio (3.86 ERA), Phil Bickford (8.64 ERA), and Tim Mayza (7.64 ERA) are all candidates to be replaced. 

For now, they made the move on their off-day to activate Gil and have him take Effross' roster spot. Gil threw 80 pitches over 3.2 innings during a rehab outing at Double-A Somerset on Sunday, allowing four hits, three earned runs, and two walks while striking out six. 

New York currently trails the Baltimore Orioles by a half-game in the standings, with 22 games remaining in the regular season. Both teams are off Thursday.