Yankees Bring Veteran Reliever Back on Minor League Deal
In this story:
OAKLAND — While two pitchers made their Yankees debuts on Sunday in Oakland, New York brought a familiar face back to the organization he once called home for four seasons.
The Yankees signed left-hander Chasen Shreve to a minor league contract, according to the team's transaction page.
Shreve, 32, is in his ninth big-league season. Earlier this year, the southpaw pitched for the Mets, posting a 6.49 ERA in 25 games. The reliever has spent the majority of his MLB career in a Yankees uniform, pitching to the tune of a 3.92 ERA across 180 appearances (174.2 innings from 2015 to 2018). He was particularly effective as a rookie in 2015, posting a 3.09 ERA in 59 outings out of the Yankees' bullpen and setting a career-high with 58.1 innings pitched and 64 strikeouts.
After those three-plus seasons with New York, Shreve was dealt to St. Louis, included in the Luke Voit trade along with right-hander Giovanny Gallegos. He stuck around with the Cardinals through the following season, pitching for the Mets and Pirates since then.
For a team that's been plagued with injuries in their pitching staff, especially the bullpen, it never hurts to bolster depth with experienced arms. That's the case with Anthony Banda and Luke Bard, who both pitched for the Yankees for the first time on Sunday in a loss against the Athletics.
New York has already summoned the likes of Shane Greene and Manny Bañuelos from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this year—in an effort to eat up some innings—so don't be entirely surprised if Shreve is used down the road.
Closer Clay Holmes is expected to come of the injured list on Monday, before New York begins a three-game set in Anaheim against the Angels, but a slew of reliever are still on the IL. That list includes Aroldis Chapman (tattoo infection), Scott Effross (shoulder), Albert Abreu (elbow inflammation) and more. Plus, Chad Green and Michael King are both out for the rest of the year with season-ending elbow injuries.
Shreve was released by the Mets on July 8, a few days after he was designated for assignment, so he hasn't pitched in a game in a few months. After ramping up in the minor leagues, he'll have an opportunity to pitch his way to a big-league opportunity, standing by in case New York faces even more adversity in the final month of the regular season.
- Yankees' Aaron Hicks Makes Most of Rare Start
- Yankees Hope Newest Reliever Can Blossom After Mechanical Tweaks
- Aroldis Chapman Details 'Scary' Infection From Recent Tattoo
Follow Max Goodman on Twitter (@MaxTGoodman), be sure to bookmark Inside The Pinstripes and check back daily for news, analysis and more.
