Nothing is imminent, but the Yankees would like to add some interior relievers to the bullpen in the coming weeks and months.
Tommy Kahnle seems to be the closest to major league action as he needs one more bullpen pitch before graduating as a live hitter. Manager Aaron Boone wasn't sure if the right-hander would do it Sunday or Monday, but he said Kahnle is growing in ambition.
“I was actually emailing Tommy two days ago and he's really excited about where he's going physically,” Boone said Sunday morning. “He feels like he's getting where he's supposed to be, which I hope is a good sign.”
Kahnle's 2023 season ended with shoulder inflammation. As a result, he has been behind the eight-ball in his pitching program since arriving in spring training.
If Kahnle can stay healthy, something that has been difficult to do in the past, he could give the Yankees another highly effective reliever to boost the strikeout rate of a bullpen that is at or near the bottom of the league.
Lou Trivino could also help in both areas, although he is not expected to make his season debut after undergoing Tommy John surgery last May. Boone said it will still be a few weeks before the right-hander can play against real hitters.
“Lou has been doing well since the spring,” Boone said. “Some of his bullpen stuff that I was able to see was really encouraging.”
Upon returning to spring training, Trivino did not want to set a timetable for his return, but it made sense for him to return sometime in the summer.
The same was true for Scott Efros, who Boone said the side-armer is battling “little niggles” with his back and recovering from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander is still in the catching stage of his rehabilitation.
“He's doing pretty well,” Boone said. “But we're a little behind them.”
Peraza is not ready to play
Boone also said that infielder Oswaldo Peraza (shoulder inflammation) has been struggling with his hitting and is working heavily on his pitching program. But there are still a few weeks left before he can play.
SS depth and strange bench
Earlier this week, Boone acknowledged that the Yankees currently don't have much depth at shortstop.
Peraza and John Berti (groin) are on injured reserve, and Oswaldo Cabrera is the backup at shortstop. However, Cabrera is also the Yankees' starting third baseman and is a backup for DJ LeMahieu (broken foot).
Boone said Jamai Jones will play third if Cabrera is needed at shortstop. But Jones has rarely played the hot corner as a pro.
“We've been working on it,” Jones said at the end of camp. “They're popping me all over the place. So no matter what the team wants me to do, I'm there. Boonie calls me and says, 'Hey, we want you to play third.' If you ask me, I won't hesitate.”
The Yankees recently added Kevin Smith to the roster, who can play shortstop and third. However, they claimed outfielder Taylor Trammell off waivers on Thursday and designated him for assignment. Smith was completely defeated in Triple-A on Saturday.
With Trammell and Trent Grisham, the Yankees have two outfielders and zero shortstops on the bench. Luckily for them, Anthony Volpe doesn't need many days off.
How does Boone choose his catchers?
Coming into the season, Jose Trevino and Austin Wells were expected to more or less platoon behind the plate. Things have progressed as expected so far.
Entering Sunday's series finale against the Rays, Wells had appeared in 13 games despite hitting .091. Trevino, who has been hitting well lately, appeared in 11 games, but he was scheduled to start against Tampa and catch Luis Gil for the first time.
When asked how Boone selects catchers on a daily basis, Boone said his decisions are based “primarily” on opposing pitchers. The Yankees faced right-hander Aaron Civale on Sunday, who has experienced upsets in his career.
“I want both of them to play,” Coach Boone said of his backstops. “I have a lot of confidence in both of them. Tough left-hander, I was always with Trevi. Civale is a little bit of a reversal and Trevi was swinging the bat a little bit here last week.
“So the opponent is more important because I feel a lot of confidence in all of our starting pitchers and both catchers. I feel like that chemistry and relationship is there. Our players two. Don’t have any qualms about pairing people up.”