Aroldis Chapman has been placed on the IL with a leg infection from a tattoo. With Chapman out until mid-September, the Yankees added two veteran relievers before Sunday’s game against the A’s. Anthony Banda was spotted in the Yankees’ clubhouse on Sunday, per Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.
Banda was waived by both the Pirates and Blue Jays before joining the Yankees. Banda has a 5.88 ERA in 26.1 innings for the Pirates and Jays in 30 appearances. His last outing was Jul 29 against the Detroit Tigers, when he struck out two in a scoreless inning.
After Chapman went on the IL, the Yankees also signed lefty Chasen Shreve to a minor-league deal. It’s not clear if Shreve will ever pitch in the major leagues, but he is back with the Yankees for the first time since 2018.
Because Chapman got sick from his tattoo, the Yankees needed a southpaw in their bullpen. Before they got Banda, Wandy Peralta and Lucas Luetge were the only lefties in the bullpen. With both Shreve and Banda in the organization, the Yankees will have two left-handed pitchers with a lot of experience to help fill Chapman’s spot.
Shreve pitched in 25 games for the Mets in 2022, but his 6.49 ERA shows how hard it was for him. He’s not on the Yankees’ MLB roster yet, unlike Banda, so it’s not clear if he’ll get a chance to play in the Bronx.
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