Amid mounting injuries and ongoing struggles within their pitching staff, the Yankees finally received a bit of good news on Sunday: right-hander Clayton Beeter has officially started a rehab assignment with the Single-A Tampa Tarpons. It’s a significant step forward in his recovery from the right shoulder impingement that sidelined him during spring training.
Beeter, who came over from the Dodgers in the 2022 Joey Gallo trade, was initially viewed as a starting pitcher. However, heading into this season, the Yankees had shifted him into a full-time bullpen role, eyeing his high-velocity fastball and sharp slider as ideal tools for multi-inning relief work. Unfortunately, shoulder issues limited him to just 15 appearances across the majors and minors in 2024.
With Gerrit Cole out for the year, Luis Gil still not throwing after a lat strain, and Marcus Stroman recently landing on the IL with a knee problem, the Yankees’ rotation depth has taken a serious hit. Meanwhile, the bullpen is showing signs of wear, with closer Devin Williams posting a 9.00 ERA, largely due to the strain from shortened starts.
- Clayton Beeter
Needless to say, the team could use a reliable multi-inning reliever right now — and Beeter might be the answer. Though his brief big-league showing last season resulted in a 4.91 ERA, he struck out 33.3% of the batters he faced and flashed a promising two-pitch mix. His minor league numbers were even more impressive: seven scoreless innings, 12 strikeouts, and zero walks across five relief outings.
There’s no set timeline for Beeter’s return to the majors, but his progress in Tampa will be closely watched. If he continues trending upward, he could soon emerge as a much-needed bullpen weapon for the Yankees.
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