Yankees add fresh meat to bullpen with roster shuffle after Saturday meltdown

Congratulations: You've been selected to join the New York Yankees bullpen! The big leagues! The pinstripes!

Unfortunately, this honor is a curling monkey's paw. The next time the Yankees are trailing by six or seven runs in the fourth inning, something they do quite often these days, you'll be called upon. Then you'll be demoted. Unless you dominate efficiently? And, even then, you'll probably be swapped out for a fresh arm? Best of luck?

Just over a week ago, Yoendrys Gomez, Tim Hill and Phil Bickford were imported to keep the Yankees afloat. Gomez relieved Carlos Rodón with a spectacular (and lenghty) outing against the Braves, earning himself the chance to get blasted by the Grimace Mets after a rain delay and sent back to Scranton. Hill has maintained his role as the bullpen's last man, avoiding the DFA hammer.

Bickford? The call came down for him on Sunday morning, following a sixth inning where he allowed five runs in two-thirds of an inning against the Blue Jays on Saturday. That left his ERA sitting at 14.40 for the season, where it'll stay for now. He's been DFA'd, with lefty Josh Maciejewski replacing him for the time being.

Yankees add Josh Maciejewski, DFA Phil Bickford after Saturday mess

For now, Caleb Ferguson avoids the scythe.

Maciejewski made his MLB debut look effortless earlier this season, dismissing three Marlins on four pitches and avoiding any jitters by working remarkably efficiently. At Triple-A this year, he's whiffed 41 men in 37 innings, but sports an inflated 1.43 WHIP and 5.35 ERA in 16 outings (five starts).

If the Yankees want to add a reliever soon who has long-term potential, they should look deeper into their own system and try Jack Neely, the 6'8" behemoth who's struck out 56 men in 35 1/3 innings and was recently elevated to Scranton. For now, this patchwork shuffle will have to do; after all, a rehabbing Scott Effross is still "weeks" away.