The New York Yankees made several roster moves as they begin officially placing players on the injured list, one of which involved optioning right-handed pitcher Yerry De Los Santos to their Triple-A affiliate, Scranton. De Los Santos had shown promise during spring training, particularly with his splitter, but a series of wild performances toward the end of camp left him in a tough spot.
The Yankees are looking to bolster their bullpen with more long-relief options, and De Los Santos’ inconsistent command, highlighted by a 15% walk rate, ultimately led to his demotion.
With two spots still open in the bullpen, Brent Headrick and Yoendrys Gomez remain on the roster and are now in competition for those final spots. Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone have held off on finalizing the roster, with speculation that a trade might be coming to add a right-handed bat or another arm to round out the bullpen.
Despite his 1.93 ERA in spring training, De Los Santos struggled with his control, particularly with his fastball, which hurt his chances of making the Opening Day roster. However, the Yankees still have an option on him and could recall him if needed during the season, especially if injuries arise. If he remains healthy, De Los Santos’ sinker-slider-splitter combo could still be valuable out of the bullpen down the line.
Last season, the Yankees worked with De Los Santos to refine his changeup into a splitter, and his performance in the second half of the season with the Scranton RailRiders showed significant improvement. While he still has room to grow as a pitcher, the Yankees could call on him again if the need arises, as pitching depth is always subject to change over the course of a season. In the meantime, Headrick and Gomez remain the two most likely candidates to make the final cuts and earn spots on the Major League roster for Opening Day.
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