Yankees Option Deivi García, Luis Gil to Triple-A; What it Means For Opening Day Roster
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TAMPA — While the Yankees were on the field for their penultimate exhibition game of spring training, New York made an official announcement regarding four players in contention for an Opening Day roster spot.
Right-handers Deivi García and Luis Gil, left-hander Manny Bañuelos and outfielder Ender Inciarte will all start the season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the team announced.
García and Gil were both optioned to Triple-A and are expected to pitch in the RailRiders' rotation, continuing to develop as starting pitchers. New York assigned Bañuelos and Inciarte—both non-roster invitees at Yankees camp—to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
With those four assets off the table for New York's Opening Day roster, the following players are still eligible to hold a spot on the Yankees' 28-man roster ahead of Thursday's regular season opener:
- RHP Clarke Schmidt
- LHP JP Sears
- RHP Ron Marinaccio
- IF/OF Miguel Andújar
- IF/OF Marwin Gonzalez
- OF Tim Locastro
Of that group listed above, Gonzalez is the only player not on New York's 40-man roster. That means, the Yankees would need to make a corresponding move in order to create an open slot for the utility man.
New York's starting rotation is set, so if Schmidt makes the big-league club, he'll be pitching out of the 'pen. Same goes for Sears, who started Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Schmidt came in from the bullpen on Sunday in Dunedin, pitching 4.1 innings and allowing two runs with five strikeouts in a loss to the Blue Jays.
Marinaccio has pitched strictly in relief in his minor league career, flashing his elite stuff this spring over five scoreless appearances. With an abbreviated spring, New York is pressed to eat up innings and make sure all members of their pitching staff build up and don't get hurt in the first month of the regular season.
Bañuelos was magnificent this spring, striking out seven over six scoreless frames, but the Yankees inevitably decided to choose from those already on the 40-man roster.
Locastro and Gonzalez appear to be the front runners to make the big-league roster, bringing some versatility to New York's bench.
MORE:
- Yankees Opening Day Lineup Prediction: Who Hits Leadoff?
- Why Aaron Boone Is Eager to Add Miguel Castro to Yankees' Bullpen
- Yankees, Mets Swap Relievers in Trade
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