The Yankees have “pulled the plug” on the rehabilitation efforts of first baseman Greg Bird, GM Brian Cashman tells Erik Boland of Newsday. New York has now announced that move, while also placing lefty CC Sabathia on the 10-day DL — as had been expected — and optioning righty Ronald Herrera.
Heading up to the active roster are righties Luis Cessa and Domingo German. The former will enter the rotation for at least one start, Boland tweets.
Bird, 24, raised expectations with a thrilling debut in 2015, then missed all of last year after shoulder surgery. Hopes were high that he’d lock down the first base job in the Bronx, but he struggled before hitting the DL with a bone bruise in his right ankle.
Now, a setback has Bird heading to visit with team doctor Christopher Ahmad tomorrow. Per Cashman, Bird reports that his “leg isn’t feeling right and not functioning right.” That has been reflected in his numbers; through six games at Triple-A, he’s slashing just .143/.357/.238 — with seven walks against just three strikeouts but also only three hits in 28 plate appearances.
With Bird’s outlook in question and Chris Carter struggling in his stead, New York is facing some questions at first base. But Carter has hit much better of late — .263/.333/.447 since the calendar flipped to June — and it stands to reason that the organization will have a variety of options at the trade deadline. Finding a left-handed bat would seem to make the most sense.
loumickeyjeter
Uh Tyler Austin?
Macho King OG
Austin strikes out too much, and hasn’t hit a HR since his rehab started almost a month ago. The best bet is to play Carter for now, and get Headley some reps at first, until the inevitable call up of Torres.
Michael Birks
Can’t Holiday man first base?
GarryHarris
No, he can barely play LF
billysbballz
Really, I’ve watched and Holiday hasn’t hurt the Yanks one bit at first. I think he can platoon over there with maybe Sanchez and another bat. Maybe start playing Hicks over there as well rather then trading fir a first basemen. The lower minors are full of players who may lack a defensive position such as Deemis Garcia but have a decent bat. No need to clog up first long term. Use what we have.
Macho King OG
Once a week, tops.
yanks02026
Yankees should trade for Eric hosmer
Eileenyy9
yes. agree and throw in Moooosssee at 3rd
mvpetro
For a rental? That’s a joke
yanks02026
How is trading for a rental a joke? Hosmer is a good 1B and can help this team alot more then Carter can.
Eileenyy9
thank you YANKS 02026!!! we are so right here, could never joke with that!!
someone will grab up all that we need to keep pace
jdgoat
So New York only trades there rentals but don’t trade for any?
davidcoonce74
Come on guys. “Than” and “their”.
jdgoat
Oof
Eileenyy9
lolol
cj1020
Oh. Shut up
Eileenyy9
for keeps, Bird is never healthy, the writing is on the wall!
mike156
NOOOOOOO.
Julie Billups
No…..disagree. KC needs to get at least one of them. And Eric doesn’t like cabs…..lol
Eileenyy9
loolololololo
Dynasty
Good idea! Why use our internal options who are just as good as Hosmer when we could give away prospects and take on salary instead!!
ThePriceWasRight
your internal unproven options are better than moustakas and Hosmer?
Hosmer isn’t a bad play but yes maybe a bit much since unless bird is out for year you don’t need a 2nd lh 1b. But Moustakas would be a huge addition to this team for a playoff run. a 3b and SP is what this team needs and NO the answer is not already in the org
yanks02026
The Yankees have no internal options for first base that are as good as hosmer. Bird is hurt once again and looks like he’ll be nick Johnson 2.0
dobsonel
Not saying he’s as good as Hosmer, but Mike Ford might be ready for a shot.
Dynasty
Headley to 1B and Wade to 3B. Problem solved.
Dynasty
Headley to 1B and Wade to 3B. Problem solved. Better than giving up prospects for mediocrity.
tenman85
Yankees will need to do something. Give Austin a shot or trade for someone. Carter isn’t going to cut it at the plate and his defense isn’t much better.
braves25
The Yankees should stand pat until mid July when Freeman comes back. Make a move for Matt Adams and Jaime Garcia or Adams and Teheran. Give the Yankees a LH 1st baseman that can continue his power surge and a SP to sure up the rotation and give them more depth!
jbaker3170
Who would NY trade though??
padresfan
Carter
thegreatcerealfamine
Lol
thegreatcerealfamine
NFW!
braves25
Why not? The Yankees need starting pitching beyond 2017. Teheran fills that bill and would slot in nicely with Severino and Pineda.
Matt Adams is also under contract through 2018 giving them a decent 1st base option that should continue his power surge with the short porch in RF.
Then after 2018 the Yankees make a run at Paul Goldschmidt to become their new 1st baseman!! That would be their only hole.
I know it has been said the Yankees will make a run at Harper and/or Machado. Judge and Torres both make that scenario null and void. so that money then could go to Goldy!!
Eileenyy9
omg, Jamie Garcia sucks. wow..
braves25
Actually he has been pitching very good over his last several starts!
billysbballz
Nooooo thank you Brave fan. Don’t want Tehran who brace fans have been clamoring to trade for over a year for everyone’s top prospects. No thanks again.
braves25
I actually do not want Atl to trade Teheran….However, I also know that his contract length should bring back some good prospects. Plus after this season the Yankees need stating pitching. The Braves have starting pitching and could swap it for bats….No I am not asking for Glaybar Torres either. The Braves would have to include a lot more for that to even be a consideration.
ReverieDays
Bird halted his offense all season.
thegreatcerealfamine
Hahaha..fmf
ExileInLA 2
The Mets will probably give up Duda for peanuts once they accept that 2017 is gone and bring up Rosario and Smith.
Duda hitting with that short RF porch could be scary…
metseventually
Duda for Mateo.
bastros88
that’s a bigger joke than the mets training staff
metseventually
You better believe that’ll be the asking price.
SuperSinker
Then keep Duda.
cspaced25 2
You can’t truly be serious. Asking price and realistic trade option are two different things.
metseventually
Alderson offered d’Arnaud for Lucroy. That’s why I said Duda for Mateo.
thegreatcerealfamine
Just stop the trolling..please!
Kolukonu
Call up Tyler Austin. Give him a chance. Anyone is better than HR-or-Strikeout Carter.
padreforlife
Yonder Alonso
willi
Agree, Will Yankees give much for a one Year Wonder ?
SuperSinker
Every team with an opening at 1B/DH should be interested in Yonder Alonso. He’s made some phenomenal improvements.
Julie Billups
Not Hosmer…..he’s needed in KC
BSPORT
Austin should be first sensible choice platoon with Carter. The farm system has plenty of position players, they need pitching help.
ReverieDays
Austin and Carter are both right-handed. Why would you platoon?
aamatho18
Carter is much better against righties then lefties. Basically opposite splits of what you think.
thegreatcerealfamine
Way outta the box..Rutherford,Mateo,Tate,and Andujar for Sonny Gray. Then send Pineda and Gardner for Schwarber and a PTBNL.
jdgoat
That’s probably an overpayment for gray and an underpayment for schwarber
thegreatcerealfamine
Schwarber will probably always have trouble excelling in his current situation. Tate is kinda underwhelming along with Mateo,so if it’s an overpayment then so be it.
dlevin11
Why not try to trade for Mike Trout and Paul Goldschmidt?
thegreatcerealfamine
And Willie Mays!
siddfinch1079
Only if he comes out of retirement first!
macfrancis79
Angels will never let go of Trout! And even if they did the yanks would have to send half the farm and half the current squad judge, Torres and Clint Frazier for Trout.
billysbballz
I would never give that up for Sonny Gray who is always hurt. That’s an awful idea.
dwhitt3
No way the Yankees add Gray and trade Pineda. Yankees need another starting pitcher, not a downgrade tradeoff. Plus Schwarber has not been good this year, so that wouldn’t be worth it. And furthermore, no way the Yankees trade Mateo and Rutherford for one guy in any deal other than Quintana or Cole.
willi
Lucas ” Donkey ” Duda is the answer,
to all Yankees problems at First Base !
I also believe in the Tooth Fairly !
crazysull
They should go out and get Alonso and Lowrie from the A’s Alonso has been on fire this season and Lowrie is a decent middle infielder who can platoon with Headly at 3rd. This shouldn’t cost too much either it certainly will cost less than Hosmer and Moose. If they want Hosemer and Moose they will need to give up multiple top 10 prospects where as for Lowrie and Alonso they probably will only have to give up a prospect ranked between 15-25 in their system. They need to keep Fraizer because Holliday/Gardner/Elsbery are all old and having an OF of Judge, Frazier and Rutherford is scary and next year if you can’t bring Alonso back platoon Bird and Austin and only other holes are 3rd and DH and possibly one more starter and a reliever. Didi and Castro have been having great years respectively so they should consider giving Torres and or Mateo shots at 3rd to become their 3rd baseman of the future. It is scary to think that the Yankees who were a team filled with old players, bad contracts and a team way passed its window has become a contending club full of young superstars and a fair amount of spending money too. The one move that I think helped them the most was the Chapman trade. They got a handful of the Cubs top prospects and he went and helped them win a ring and came back to NY, so basically they gave up a few months of him(when they didn’t even need him) for a bunch of good prospects, that seems like a steal to me. This is all coming from a Red Sox fan and I am starting to fear the Yankees again like I use to when they had Jeter and company
davidcoonce74
Please, for the love of god, press the return or enter button occasionally.
SuperSinker
Lowrie Alonso are probably better than Hosmer Moustakas.
thegreatcerealfamine
First off Rutherford won’t be ready for a couple more years. Second in your outfield scenario you failed to mention Hicks. Lastly they are trying to stay younger and not waste anything on players of that ilk,but that’s ok you’re a Sox fan so you get a pass!
billysbballz
Hicks isn’t part of my long term plan either.
Frazier, Fowler, Rutherford, and of course Judge are!
Hicks trade value is going up up up and he should be used to get a frontline lefty starter along with Mateo.
Maybe package Hicks, Mateo, Headley plus cash, and a fringe prospect starter like Clarkin for 2 rentals in Hosmer and Moose and also a starter in Danny Duffy the lefty on the DL. That trade would make a ton of sense as you can then bring up Fowler for Cf until Elsbury is healthy. Bird is giving us nothing this year so you leave him in aaa. Moose takes over third. Hosmer first. DFA Carter! Duffy takes a rotation spot when healthy, from who I don’t know but I’m sure they will figure that out.
thegreatcerealfamine
Sorry but like Joe said Hicks is the CF even when Ellsbury comes back and he’s 27. Rutherford is years away and KC might make a run with that weak division. That’s two much for rentals! What do you have against Hicks anyway?
dobsonel
Agreed. Hicks is definitely in their future plans. If they trade him, it won’t be until his last year of arbitration in 2019.
dobsonel
Why would they DFA Carter when he will have trade value at the deadline? There are always teams looking for a power bat in July.
crazysull
And for those suggesting they go get Duda, I hope you realize he is basically Carter 2.0
jdgoat
No he’s not. He gets on base at a way better clip than carter, will hit for a higher average and isn’t a liability defensively. And his park adjusted stats are much better
crazysull
Wish Hanigan hit like that when he played for the Red Sox
brood550
Call up Gleyber Torres and put him at 2nd or 3rd. If at second move Castro to 3rd and Headley to 1st. Either way call up Torres and move Headley to first.
timm-2
if Torres comes up Headley is going to the bench or the DFA route. I’m not so sure of that because of Headley’s glove. They may want to tolerate the poor .avg in favor of the good glove for the rest of the year.
rocky7
The Yankees should stand pat and see exactly where they are as we grind in to July.
Why take on rentals when you have internal options. These “proven” rentals just might not translate well to the Yanks.
Does everyone remember that this wasn’t supposed to the Yanks year until they got off to that great start and have continued until recently when the injury bug is biting.
Right now, they are probably more concerned about Clippard and the Bullpen overall. Clippard seemingly has a penchant for giving up runs at the most inopportune times and can’t hold a lead.
If anything, they’re scouting pitching not Hosmer, Moustakis, or Alonso just so they can get fleeced by either Billy or KC.
timm-2
Nothing drastic at 1b. Hosmer Alonso etc none of that is sticking to the plan. It’s working too well to backtrack now.
I’d love to see Chance Adams up here while CC is out.
Pasquale Salvatore
If the Yanks are willing to take on money……Joey Votto would be a perfect fit. The only negative is his contract.
Macho King OG
It’s a shame, I really liked Kick Johnson, uh I mean Greg Bird.
Macho King OG
Nick
pieguyx
fail at trolling