Yankees choose most boring route possible with Jake Bird replacement

With multiple open 40-man roster spots, the New York Yankees had a chance to shoot for a tantalizing, high-ceiling option to replace Jake Bird, who they sent packing on Monday night (in the wake of an exciting win he nearly ruined).

It seemed too soon for Carlos Lagrange, but ... what if it wasn't? Could the Yankees have turned to Harrison Cohen in short relief? What about flamethrowing Yovanny Cruz, laid up at camp with a back injury, but still spitting fire in the high minors? Even the 40-man roster offered a few intriguing chips in Kervin Castro and (don't laugh) Angel Chivilli, who's working on 8 1/3 shutout frames with nine Ks and two walks in five Triple-A outings this year.

Instead, the Yankees opted for familiarity/innings-eating potential with their decision: Yerry de los Santos, come on down, as announced by Aaron Boone on Tuesday's Talkin' Yanks podcast.

The right-hander had a 3.25 ERA in 35 2/3 innings of work at the MLB level last season, mostly occupying the Luis Cessa role. You never hated to see him. You probably didn't applaud his work quite enough. But he usually operated in the shadows, and clogged the bases too often before working through it.

He's got a 1.93 ERA in 9 1/3 frames in five Triple-A games this year, and he's probably more excited to see you than you are to see him.

Yerry de los Santos is dullest link in Yankees' bullpen survival chain

How does this depleted bullpen possibly make it through the end of the season? It's unlikely to happen, but it starts with names like Cruz and Lagrange cycling through and delivering the velocity that nobody outside of Camilo Doval can seem to find. Yerry de los Santos can be a piece of that puzzle. We saw him put his competence on display in some multi-inning outings last year. But he's not a guy who will likely take any postseason reps, even if all goes well. It would've been nice to see the Yankees make an early upside play instead of an attempt to merely bring stasis back to the unit.

Ideally, de los Santos will do some coverage work as the Yankees' depleted 'pen works its way back towards full strength (and full competence), and then will be sent back down in favor of someone who could make a high-leverage impact instead of merely steering the ship back on course. For now, this is ... fine and necessary. But it isn't exciting.

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