Yankees finally activate lost trade deadline addition to redeem lefty-mashing lineup

The Yankees, after spending so many years with their bench as an afterthought, tackled the issue at the trade deadline, bringing in two genuine adults who knew their roles: start against lefties. Pinch hit against lefties. Crush lefties. Within two weeks of the deadline, one of them had smashed up his shoulder running into a wall, and the other had pulled up lame running in the Texas heat. The Yankees: Why Try?

Thankfully, Austin Slater's recovery didn't last quite as long as we thought it might, and he still has 3.5 weeks ahead of the postseason to prove he belongs on any theoretical Yankees roster.

Slater, who ran to first in Game 1 of the Texas Rangers series and immediately pulled himself after feeling his hamstring go, started a rehab assignment last week. To date, he's appeared in just three games with the Yankees, taking seven hitless at-bats, but he did go 3-for-14 with four walks while getting his timing back with Triple-A Scranton.

After the Yankees' win in Houston Thursday night, the team demoted third catcher JC Escarra and deemed Slater to be the 28th man on their expanded roster. Now, with Amed Rosario also healthy, it's finally time for the Yanks to get some looks at what they intended to be a pretty effective counter to an elite left-handed starter.

Yankees bring Austin Slater back from Injured List after horribly timed hamstring strain

Come on, Austin. Prove we didn't deal 2024 draftee Gage Ziehl to Chicago for nothing. We believe in you.

Slater hitting the shelf when he did was the ultimate manifestation of poor trade deadline luck, following in the footsteps of a game in Miami botched by Jake Bird, David Bednar, Camilo Doval, and Jose Caballero in rapid succession. Since then, though, Bednar has risen to the Yankees' closer role, while Caballero has proven himself to be invaluable (and should probably be stealing some starter's reps from Anthony Volpe).

Slater was acquired during a time of great uncertainty with Aaron Judge, and the timing of his injury (and Judge's return) made us wonder if he was viewed as completely expendable rather than a down-the-stretch solution. Now, the Yankees will at least get a chance to see if his career .795 OPS against lefties can manifest in the smallest of sample sizes.

While it seems the Yankees will miss Tarik Skubal when the Tigers come to town, expect Slater to get the start (or a late cameo) against Garrett Crochet next weekend at Fenway Park, as well as Trevor Rogers in those late September Orioles showdowns.