Yankees' official September call-ups provide relief, but one more shakeup is coming

The New York Yankees used to be able to promote anywhere from one to 15 roster thickeners each Sept. 1, under MLB's old rules. That allowed some September games to become almost a mockery of fresh but untested arms. It also helped players like Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada get early tastes of stretch run action, even though the Yankees' intention was to bury them on the bench and request that they simply silently observe.

That is now a thing of the past. Every team is gasping for air, at this point, and nobody would dare use one of the limited two precious roster expansion spots on a non-entity. Hell, it's hard to even justify a playoff pinch-running specialist anymore (though the Yankees tried that with Duke Ellis last year and got booed across all five boroughs).

The Yankees had done everything possible to telegraph their projected shuffle in recent days, but made things official Monday afternoon after Ryan Yarbrough made it through his rehab assignment healthy.

Yarbrough will join a beleaguered bullpen, and JC Escarra will come up to provide potential late-inning flexibility behind the plate. He might only be up for a couple of days, though, as forgotten trade deadline addition Austin Slater winds through his own rehab assignment. Would've been nice to have Slater for left-hander Framber Valdez on Tuesday night, but beggars can't be choosers.

Yankees promote Ryan Yarbrough, JC Escarra as immediate September call-ups...but Austin Slater is coming

These call-ups may have been as exciting as Dwight Schrute posting "It Is Your Birthday" on the drab Office wall in thick black ink, but they get the job done for a Yankees team that still hasn't proven itself against top-quality opponents, but doesn't have an obvious need for an unproven spark. That could always change in a matter of days.

Yarbrough completed 11 innings across three rehab outings with Triple-A, striking out 12 with a 4.09 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. He's as ready as he'll ever be, and though there's no longer an available rotation spot, the Yankees could expand to a six-man or just give Yarbrough a few bulk relief appearances.

Notably, both Yerry de los Santos and Spencer Jones were not recalled. Jones was a longshot; he's off the 40-man, he's struggled since his massive heater, and the Yankees don't exactly have an outfield vacancy, with everyone from Trent Grisham to Cody Bellinger excelling. Aaron Judge can't currently play the position, and it hasn't really mattered much recently. Jones made more sense in August, though it's a shame he can't play a phantom Jeter role on a monstrous 40-man active roster.

Yerry? Expect him to replace Paul Blackburn eventually if Yarbrough shows he's ready for a return to action. Right? ...Right?