When lefty Jayvien Sandridge was spotted with a locker in the Yankees’ clubhouse on Sunday, it signaled that a roster shake-up was coming. Sandridge had already been up earlier in the week as a phantom call-up — sent back down without pitching — and by rule couldn’t return within 10 days unless there was an injury.
Turns out, there was. Ryan Yarbrough suffered a right oblique strain and is headed to the 15-day injured list. That opened the door for Sandridge’s return to the bullpen — and possibly beyond. Unfortunately, oblique strains are notoriously tricky, and Yarbrough could be out well past the minimum IL stint.
Yarbrough had been a stabilizing force for the Yankees earlier this season during a rash of injuries to the starting rotation. Now, the rest of the staff will need to step up — though help appears to be on the horizon.
Who Replaces Yarbrough in the Yankees’ Rotation?
The Yankees have a few options, depending on how bold they want to get. JT Brubaker seemed like the most immediate candidate for Yarbrough’s spot — he’s stretched out to handle around four innings — but he already pitched this weekend, finishing off Clarke Schmidt’s no-hit bid.
Marcus Stroman is progressing in his rehab and could be ready soon. Conveniently, his timeline may align perfectly with the Yankees’ need for a rotation spot.
Then there’s the intriguing wild card: Cam Schlittler, a red-hot Triple-A prospect who last pitched Thursday, lining him up perfectly for a start in Cincinnati on Tuesday. Facing him would be Chase Burns, the Reds’ top pick from last year making his MLB debut — setting up a potential must-watch pitching duel. Schlittler is flashing upper-90s velocity and carrying a 2.35 ERA at Triple-A, but adding him would require a 40-man roster move.
Instead, the Yankees appear to be going with a middle-ground approach. Per Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, Allan Winans — sporting an ERA under 1.00 at Triple-A — will get the call to start Monday. If he can replicate the steady presence Yarbrough provided, it could buy time until Stroman (and eventually Luis Gil) are back to full strength.
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