The New York Yankees are ready to make a move their fans have been begging for — and are conveniently going for it a few weeks ahead of the trade deadline.
Interesting timing!
After raking at Triple-A alongside fellow non-40-man option Hoy Jun Park and reaching base every day for the better part of two months, outfielder Trey Amburgey has reportedly hit his way onto the Yankees’ roster just in time for a crucial four-game home set with the Boston Red Sox.
Erik Kratz is going to be so excited!
According to Eli Fishman, who’s been correct about every move the Yankees have made in recent days — he was first to the Jasson Dominguez promotion, as well as the rest of that wave — Amburgey will be heading to the Bronx.
The only bad news? He’s a righty.
Yankees reportedly promoting Trey Amburgey to MLB roster.
However, there is some conflicting chatter from a RailRiders beat writer.
Always a spring training invitee but never a 40-man-rostered player, Amburgey’s bat has shouted his resumé daily throughout a red-hot 2021 season. Thus far, he’s OPS’ing .960 with a .312 average and .379 OBP.
The Yankees, hurting for outfield depth since nearly Opening Day, haven’t pressed the button until now, though, coming off an almost inspiring series in Houston and a relaxing All-Star break, where only Aaron Judge had to do any work.
So … what’s the corresponding move? New York has an open 40-man spot, so nobody needs to be sent to the 60-Day IL or axed off the roster in order to get Amburgey to the Bronx. Somebody does have to go down, though, and Tim Locastro doesn’t seem to have earned a demotion during his short tenure as the team’s spark plug.
Unlike Locastro, though, Amburgey can really put a charge into a baseball with regularity.
Though the pressure is mounting in the Bronx these days, Amburgey probably won’t feel the heat. He’s not supposed to be the savior. He’s just a 26-year-old who’s been absolutely raking who deserves a chance to help the big club.
He won’t even be the highest-profile prospect making his MLB debut in this series, most likely. Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran has also reportedly been called into duty, and you can expect him to pepper the short porch either Friday or Saturday.
At least the Yankees have countered, though. They’re trying. All you can ask. Maybe the Rangers will like something they see.
Yankees: 3 first-rounders NYY should’ve chosen over Trey Sweeney
The New York Yankees should've selected these first-rounders instead of bat-first Trey Sweeney in the 2021 MLB Draft on Sunday.