CHICAGO — The Yankees will be getting their flexible, soft-tossing left-hander back on Tuesday when they play their first game with rosters expanding from 26 to 28 players.
Manager Aaron Boone is excited about Ryan Yarbrough returning after more than two months on the injured list with an oblique train.
“He was huge for us in whatever role,” Boone said of Yarbrough, who is 3-1 with a 3.98 ERA in 16 games, half of them starts. “Obviously he went into the rotation and pitched well there. He did a really good job out of the ‘pen in different roles, whether it was picking us up with some length on a given day, whether it was a shorter outing where we needed run up through a lefty lane.
“He’s really a valuable part of our pitching staff and I’m excited to get him back.”
Also Tuesday or maybe a couple days later, the Yankees’ other September call-up will be outfielder Austin Slater.
A right-handed hitter, Slater was acquired from the White Sox on July 30 and ended up on the IL five days later with a hamstring strain.
Slater began a rehab assignment on Friday night going 2-for-3 playing left field for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and he was back in its lineup again Sunday starting in left field.
The Yankees haven’t yet decided if they want Slater to play a third rehab game, which would be Tuesday because Monday is an off day in the minors.
If Slater doesn’t join the Yankees for Tuesday’s series opener in Houston, they’ll recall rookie catcher J.C. Escarra to fill the spot for a couple days.
Either way, Slater is expected to get September starts with the Yankees against left-handed pitching.
The Yankees didn’t have many hitters that handed southpaws well in the first half, but added two right-handed bats who feast on lefties before the July 30 trade deadline, infielder/outfielder Amed Rosario being the other.
Rosario was in the Yankees’ lineup on Sunday with the White Sox starting lefty Martin Perez.
Slater was 0-for-7 for the Yankees in three games, two starts, before getting hurt. For the season, he’s batting .223 with five homers and 12 RBI in 54 games. He’s a 247 hitter against lefties compared to .193 versus righties.
“We’re so much more flexible, so much more able to maneuver on the bench now in game matchups, and Austin is one of those guys,” Boone said. “Him and Rosario coming in, and the success they’ve had against left-hand pitching just gives us another added dimension and more depth from a position-player standpoint.”
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Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com.
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