The Yankees finally took Jake Bird off the board, and after what happened against the Dodgers, it was hard to argue with the move.
Bird was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre between Games 1 and 2 of Sunday’s doubleheader, giving the club a 15-day reset on a reliever who has become a brutal watch. New York used the roster shuffle to bring up Elmer Rodriguez as the 27th man for the twin bill and recalled Kervin Castro to help cover a bullpen-heavy second game.
Bird’s latest outing was a wreck. After the Yankees dropped the first game 8-2 in a 12:35 PM start by Cam Schlittler, Bird came into the next one and promptly turned a 3-1 game into an 8-1 blowout.
He allowed four hits and five earned runs, walked two, and recorded just one-third of an inning. Camilo Doval then finished the loss with 31 more pitches, getting five outs while throwing three fewer pitches than Bird.
Before Game 2 of Sunday’s doubleheader, the Yankees announced the moves this way:
• Appointed RHP Elmer Rodríguez (#71) as their “27th Man”.
• Recalled RHP Kervin Castro (#74) from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
• Optioned RHP Jake Bird to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Bird’s numbers since arriving from Colorado at last summer’s trade deadline are ugly. In 32 1/3 innings with the Yankees, he has given up 40 hits and 26 earned runs, leaving him with a 7.24 ERA. The sweepers still have movement, but that has not translated into results, and the hoped-for breakout in a new home never came.
Because of the option, Bird cannot return to the major-league roster again except as the corresponding move for a bullpen injury until after the 2026 trade deadline. For now, that makes this the closest thing to a goodbye the Yankees can give him.
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Cody Bellinger is one of the players expected to help steady things, but there is also a broader roster conversation hanging over the club as the trade deadline approaches. If the Yankees are going to keep pace, Brian Cashman may need to look beyond internal fixes and consider upgrades at catcher, along with other moves that could reshape the infield mix. The series in Los Angeles did not just cost them a chance at a cleaner result, it sharpened the question of whether this roster has enough reliable offense as currently built. [Read more 🡒]