Yankees adjust roster after dominating Reds

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CINCINNATI — The Yankees faced the task of making a roster move before morning to accommodate the arrival of outfielder Greg Allen as a spare player. Additionally, following their 10-inning victory over the Reds, another player had to be let go to create space for Sunday’s starting pitcher, Luis Severino.

Before the game, the Yankees made headlines by designating outfielder Aaron Hicks for assignment, but there were further developments after the game as rookie pitcher Jhony Brito was sent down to Triple-A following a disappointing start.

Why did the Yankees send Brito to Triple-A?

Brito gave up four runs in four innings, allowing four hits and a season-high four walks, resulting in an increase in his ERA to 5.48. This performance came in his tenth appearance of the Yankees, with nine of them being as a starter.

Brito acknowledged that his time in the majors has been a valuable learning experience for him. He mentioned that he has been able to develop a better understanding of how to effectively sequence his pitches when facing hitters at this level, not just in their initial at-bats.

Instead of sending down Clarke Schmidt, another temporary starter who holds a 2-4 record and a 5.00 ERA in 10 starts, the Yankees made the decision to option Brito to the minor leagues.

Severino to debut

Sunday marks the long-awaited return of Luis Severino to the Yankees mound as he makes his season debut. Severino had been out of action since the latter part of spring training due to a lat strain.

Severino expressed his satisfaction with being back on the team and shared a lighthearted comment, stating that while he’s not particularly pleased about having a 20-pitch limit, he recognizes that it’s preferable to not being able to pitch at all.

For his start at Great American Ball Park, the Yankees’ right-handed pitcher will be limited to a pitch count of around 70-75 pitches. This will be part of the Yankees’ plan as they aim to complete a three-game series sweep and continue their successful road trip, which began in Toronto and has resulted in a 6-1 record so far.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone explained that Severino is not fully built up yet, indicating that there is still progress to be made in terms of his stamina and endurance. However, Boone expressed confidence in Severino’s readiness to pitch and eagerly anticipated his return to the rotation.

Greg Allen got into the roster

Boone expressed his satisfaction with the Yankees’ acquisition of Greg Allen from the Red Sox in a trade that took place late on Friday night. The manager highlighted Allen’s previous success during his 15 games with the team in 2021 and his impressive performance in Triple-A Worchester this season, where he showcased his speed by stealing 23 bases in 23 attempts and maintained a .250 batting average with two home runs in 37 games.

Due to a delay in his flight from Boston to Cincinnati on Saturday morning, Allen arrived at the Yankees’ game in the third inning. Despite the late arrival, he made a significant impact by scoring the winning run in the 10th inning. Starting as the Yankees’ ghost runner on second base, Allen crossed home plate from third base after Aaron Judge delivered a crucial hit to break the tie with one out.

Despite having an opt-out clause in his minor-league contract with the Red Sox, Allen was taken aback when he learned about the trade that sent him to the Yankees. While he had anticipated the possibility of leaving the Red Sox organization in the near future, the actual trade came as a surprise to him.

Allen mentioned that he didn’t receive much information initially regarding the trade, so he was unaware of the details until late on Friday. However, he expressed his happiness upon learning that he was joining the New York Yankees.

Throughout the entirety of the 2021 season, Allen had a wonderful experience being a part of the Yankees’ organization, despite spending most of his time in Triple-A. He achieved impressive results during his minor league stint, boasting a remarkable batting average of .326 across 73 games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Furthermore, during his limited MLB opportunities, Allen showcased his talent by hitting .270 in 37 at-bats with the Yankees.

Allen expressed his enjoyment of playing on a baseball field, describing it as some of the most enjoyable moments he has experienced. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the various disruptions it caused, Allen found it to be an absolute delight to play in Yankee Stadium and perform in front of passionate Yankees fans in New York.

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