4 Yankees in danger of being thrown off the roster by September

As the New York Yankees' skid continues, the club is becoming desperate for solutions. Several players have underperformed and are running out of chances, while others will be put in tough situations due to some impending roster crunches with a number of players preparing for a return to action after stints on the injured list.

This means some players who were already on thin ice could find themselves unceremoniously dumped before the end of the month, while others whose performance might not warrant getting the boot will be forced out as the club looks to arrange the roster puzzle with the 26 pieces that fit together the best.

For these four players, that means their time on the roster is likely coming to a close, and they will find themselves off the roster completely by the time September rolls around.

4 Yankees who will find themselves off the roster by September

Utility man Ahmed Rosario

The Yankees have long coveted Amed Rosario and have finally found a way to bring the versatile utility man to the Bronx at the trade deadline. Despite a .600 batting average over his first three contests in pinstripes, his time on the roster might not be for long.

The former New York Met is the perfect example of a player who isn't playing poorly enough to justify being jettisoned, but will be the victim of a better configuration soon becoming available. While he can play numerous positions on the field, he doesn't play any of them particularly well, and he's only logged two innings at shortstop this season, which is particularly important for a utility infielder.

That means his infield reps will be primarily eaten up by the defensively superior Jose Caballero, who also comes with four more years of team control versus Rosario's expiring contract. Meanwhile, though Austin Slater's return could run through the start of September, he'll also put pressure on Rosario's roster spot. While both mash lefties, Slater is a natural outfielder, making him a better fit for what the Yankees need once he's healthy. It all depends on the timing of Rosario and Slater's healthy returns from injury (of course they're both hurt already), as well as whether they'd like to use their expanded roster on an extra arm or on accommodating their bench.

Reliever Jonathan Loaisiga

Far too often this year, Jonathan Loaisiga and his mistakes have been the cause of the Yankees' undoing. Though he's mercifully on the injured list now, the experiment needs to end, as it has become clear that he's no longer the pitcher who dazzled in middle relief back in 2021.

The additions of David Bednar and Camilo Doval have further crowded the bullpen picture. Now, Fernando Cruz is also progressing toward a return to action, and, despite some red flags, incumbents like Yerry De los Santos and his 1.63 ERA have generated much better results than Loaisiga. Someone has got to go, and that someone is Loaisiga.

Reliever Mark Leiter Jr.

Much of what can be said about Loaisiga can also be said about Mark Leiter Jr. A classic case of the peripherals not matching up with the results, Leiter Jr. has boasted an impressive strikeout rate, reasonable walk rate, and great home run suppression numbers, yet the hits just kept on coming before he landed on the IL.

The Yankees have been cautious with Leiter Jr.'s return, and it's unclear when they'll be ready to ease off the throttle. The poor pre-injury performance isn't all Leiter Jr.'s fault; he was overused prior to his issue and sometimes put in spots that were beyond his capabilities, but it will cost him nonetheless.

Reliever Brent Headrick

Brent Headrick could be yet another casualty as the bullpen cavalry returns from the IL. The southpaw has been mostly good in mop-up duty, with a 32.1% K-rate, 5.1% walk rate, and 3.60 ERA; however, if there's one bugaboo, it's that when he gets hit, the ball travels a long way, as evidenced by his 1.80 HR/9 on the year.

The problem for Headrick is that Ryan Yarbrough is working towards a return and is the superior option to serve as an innings eater out of the pen. While he's filled in admirably in the opportunities he's gotten, it's only a matter of time until his home run problem unravels him. To that end, the former Minnesota Twin likely gets forced out, and hopefully that happens before he can serve up a back-breaking dinger.