Yanks Go Yard
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Yankees on the 40-Man Roster Who Are Expendable

By Aaron Dortch

Jun 14, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Hicks (31) during batting practice prior to the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 14, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Hicks (31) during batting practice prior to the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 9, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Kirby Yates (39) walks off the field after being relieved in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 9, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Kirby Yates (39) walks off the field after being relieved in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

Reliever – Kirby Yates

Yates sure did fool Yankees fans in his first 16 appearances out of the pen.

A season-low 1.76 ERA, 16 strikeouts, zero homers and only 13 hits allowed in 15.1 innings? General manager Brian Cashman found an offseason steal from the scrapheap!

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Unfortunately, in 14 further games Yates would surrender 15 earned runs and observe his ERA catapult to 5.72. While more runners scurried across the plate, the right-hander plummeted from the team’s fourth most trusted reliever to a Triple-A demotion on June 27.

The Yankees didn’t have much to gain when they acquired Yates from Cleveland for cash considerations in January, and they certainly don’t have much to lose should they decide to cut him.

Even with injuries and underperformance surrounding the Yankees bullpen, other buy-low options can be had in the market to refill the depth chart without clogging the roster.

If the Yankees went the internal route, they have Gio Gallegos dominating the minors. Gallegos, 24, was signed out of Mexico and appears well worth the investment. The right-hander posted a 1.26 ERA and sub-1 WHIP with Trenton before being called up to Scranton. There, he’s carving up hitters to a 2.33 ERA and 10.7 K/9 in 19.1 frames.

Dating back to June 8, Gallegos has pitched more than one inning in eight of 10 outings, striking out 21 and coughing up just five earned runs in that span.

The Yankees milked Yates for a lenghty stretch of acceptable results, but now that he’s regressed to the pitcher he always has been, it’s time to hand his roster spot to a deserving prospect.

Next: The Trade Currently Working for No One

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