Brendan Beck’s latest turn through the Yankees’ rotation plans went about as badly as the first one.
Called up Friday to start Game 1 of the doubleheader, the rookie right-hander got hit hard again, giving up seven runs over five innings in a 10-2 Orioles win. Beck, who had been the best starting pitcher in the International League this season, finished this stretch with an 0-2 record and a 9.95 ERA in four appearances across five brief stints with the Yankees.
Then came the bigger surprise.
Between games, the Yankees sent Beck back to the minors and chose to bring up Alexander Cornielle, a Triple-A starter who has never pitched in the majors, instead of activating either Trent Grisham or Giancarlo Stanton from the injured list. The move strongly suggests Grisham and Stanton will not be in consideration for the Yankees’ Wild Card Series, which begins Tuesday.
Both players had at-bats in a live BP before Friday’s opener.
To make room for Cornielle on the 40-man roster, the Yankees transferred reliever Fernando Cruz to the 60-day injured list. Cruz had been hoping to get back for the playoffs after going on the injured list Aug. 26 with a partially torn shoulder labrum, but that path is now effectively closed for the season. He would not be eligible to return until Oct. 25, the day before a potential Game 3 of the World Series.
Cornielle, 25, is a right-hander from the Dominican Republic who signed with the Yankees last November as a minor-league free agent. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound pitcher put together a solid year for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 5-6 with a 3.39 ERA in 21 games, 20 of them starts, while striking out 89 in 85 innings.
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Yankees May Get A Huge Opening In Game 1 Vs Boston
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Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said Contreras has shown subtle improvement, but the club still does not have a firm answer on his status for the opener. For the Yankees, that uncertainty could matter, because Boston would be facing one of its key postseason bats while also trying to piece together an infield plan on short notice. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Have Landed A Wild Card Edge Before It Starts
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For a Yankees club that is set to face the Red Sox right away, even a small change in recovery time can matter this time of year. Both teams are navigating the usual postseason squeeze of weather and injuries, and the setup leaves New York with a chance to arrive a bit fresher, even if the full picture of how the bracket settles is still being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Have Found Their Aaron Judge Stopgap At Last
For a Yankees club still adjusting without Aaron Judge in the lineup, rookie George Lombard Jr. gave the offense a much-needed lift against the Rays. He was involved in the comeback from the start, producing runs with both his legs and his bat and showing the kind of all-around impact New York has been searching for as it tries to keep the attack moving.
Lombard also delivered the biggest swing of the night with a two-run homer, and he finished directly involved in four of the six runs the Yankees scored. It was the sort of performance that not only helped seal a win, but also offered a glimpse of a young player stepping into a far larger role while the captain remains out. [Read more 🡒]