ANAHEIM, Calif. — The depleted Yankees bullpen got some much-needed help on Monday, when the Yankees activated Clay Holmes from the IL.
Holmes had been out with a back injury and struggled before hitting the IL following an excellent first half that resulted in his first All-Star selection.
He last appeared in a game on Aug. 12 and In his last five outings, Holmes allowed seven runs in just four innings.
Aaron Boone has been using different closers depending on matchups and said he would use pitchers whenever he thought they’d be most successful, so Holmes may not be inserted right back into the closer role.
Whenever he pitches, Holmes will be an upgrade for a bullpen that is without Scott Effross, Miguel Castro, Albert Abreu and Aroldis Chapman — all on the IL. Michael King and Chad Green were already lost for the year and there’s no guarantee Zack Britton will return from last year’s UCL surgery in time to contribute this season. He’s appeared in two rehab games and left the most recent one due to leg cramps.
In Sunday’s loss in Oakland, the Yankees used Anthony Banda — whom they signed to a major league deal earlier in the day after he’d been on a minor league contract with Seattle — Greg Weissert, in just his second MLB game, and Luke Bard, whom they claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay.
To make room for Holmes, Bard was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Marwin Gonzalez won’t be with the team in Anaheim after being placed on the paternity list on Monday. He was replaced on the roster by Tim Locastro, who was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Gonzalez is hitless in his last 29 at-bats and his part-time role has been reduced by the presence of Oswaldo Cabrera, who can play shortstop to spell Isiah Kiner-Falefa.