The Yankees had to shuffle their pitching roster to accommodate spot starter Will Warren for Wednesday’s game in Chicago, resulting in a necessary bullpen adjustment. The team designated right-hander Enyel De Los Santos for assignment to make room.
De Los Santos, who had struggled with a 14.21 ERA during his brief stint with the Yankees, had only been with the team for two weeks, having been acquired from the Padres in a trade deadline move aimed at strengthening the bullpen.
Interestingly, Jake Cousins, the only bullpen pitcher with minor-league options remaining, was not considered for demotion. Cousins has proven himself a key player in the bullpen, recently securing his first MLB save in a win over the White Sox. Since June 27, Cousins has posted a 2.14 ERA, solidifying his role on the team.
These roster adjustments highlight the Yankees’ efforts to manage injuries, weather-related disruptions, and performance challenges while striving to maintain a competitive pitching staff throughout the season.
Yankees’ Santos dump proves his trade wrong
The Yankees‘ decision to designate Enyel De Los Santos for assignment was driven by his disappointing performance since joining the team. They sent outfield prospect Brandon Lockridge to San Diego to acquire relief pitcher Enyel De Los Santos and prospect arm Thomas Balboni, Jr. Though De Los Santos boasted a notable 32.5% whiff rate, placing him in the 92nd percentile, and his 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings ranks 22nd among relievers with 40+ innings pitched this season, there were concerns about his trade from the very beginning.
De Los Santos has a significant issue with hard contact, as indicated by his 13.9% barrel rate, which ranks in the 1st percentile and is the third-highest among pitchers facing 100+ batted ball events this year. Additionally, he leads all qualified relievers in home runs allowed per nine innings with a rate of 2.45.
These weaknesses were exacerbated in the hitter-friendly environment of Yankee Stadium, diminishing his strikeout effectiveness. De Los Santos struggled to deliver a clean outing in any of his five appearances, with his initial two scoreless games overshadowed by allowing multiple hits. His struggles deepened as he surrendered 10 runs over four innings, culminating in a disastrous seven-run outing during a recent loss to the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Warren’s call-up was prompted by recent rainouts at Yankee Stadium, which led to doubleheaders and disrupted the starting pitching rotation, creating a gap during the White Sox series. The Yankees were left with the option of either a bullpen game or bringing up a minor-league pitcher.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, stating that he believes De Los Santos is capable of better performances than his recent numbers indicate. Boone explained that the move was partly necessitated by recent rainouts that disrupted the team’s pitching rotation, making it unfeasible to rely on a full bullpen day and forcing the tough call on De Los Santos.
Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake pointed to De Los Santos’ struggles with fastball command as a key issue. Blake also mentioned the challenges De Los Santos faced in adapting to a new team environment. Despite his recent difficulties, Blake expressed confidence that De Los Santos’ overall career suggests he’s a more capable pitcher than what he showed during his brief stint in New York. The coach highlighted that De Los Santos had trouble locating both his fastball and slider and was often placed in less-than-ideal situations, where he was forced to pitch extended innings rather than being matched up against right-handed hitters, where he typically excels.
The decision to part ways with De Los Santos underscores the complexities of managing a pitching staff over the course of a long season. The Yankees had acquired De Los Santos, along with minor-league pitcher Thomas Balboni Jr., in a trade with the Padres, giving up speedy outfield prospect Brandon Lockridge in the process. While the move was intended to bolster the Yankees’ bullpen, it ultimately did not yield the short-term results the team had hoped for.
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