September 6: The Yankees announced that Maciejewski was outrighted to Triple-A, indicating he cleared waivers. He has the right to elect free agency by virtue of a previous career outright but it’s not yet clear if he’s chosen to do so.
September 1: The Yankees announced this morning that they have designated left-hander Josh Maciejewski for assignment. The move opens up a 40-man roster spot for Anthony Rizzo, whose activation from the 60-day IL was reported on yesterday. Rizzo takes one of four active roster spots created by yesterday’s demotions of Ben Rice and Will Warren as well as today’s expansion from 26 to 28 roster spots. Outfielder Duke Ellis was recalled to the majors alongside right-handers Scott Effross and Ron Marinaccio to fill the other three open spots.
Maciejewski, 29, was added to the Yankees’ 40-man roster back in June and has made four multi-inning relief appearances for the club in total. He has pitched well in that limited exposure in the majors, with a 2.57 ERA and a 25.9% strikeout rate in his seven innings of work at the big league level. Those strong results contrast sharply with his ugly performance in the minor leagues this year, however, as Maciejewski sports a 6.02 ERA in 46 1/3 innings of work at the Triple-A level with the Yankees this year. That’s not far off from his career numbers at the level, either, as in 40 career appearances at the highest level of the minors the lefty has struggled to a 5.61 ERA.
Given Maciejewski’s lackluster body of work in the minors, it’s not necessarily a shock that the club opted to part ways with the lefty despite his small sample success in the Bronx. The lefty’s departure makes room for the return of Rizzo, who figures to step into his previous role as the club’s everyday first baseman down the stretch now that he’s recovered from the forearm fracture that kept him sidelined since mid-June. The 35-year-old will look to return to the form he’s shown in previous seasons after struggling to a .223/.289/.341 slash line in 70 games prior to the injury.
He’ll be joined on the roster by Ellis, a 26-year-old rookie who made his big league debut with the White Sox earlier this year. Ellis has just four plate appearances in the big leagues under his belt and hasn’t hit much throughout his career in the minors, but he nonetheless figures to be a worthwhile addition to New York’s positional mix thanks to his blistering speed and solid defense in the outfield. Ellis has already stolen four bases without being caught in his limited time at the big league level, and he’s stolen at least 50 bags at the minor league level in each of the last three seasons.
As for the pitchers, Effross’s first appearance with the club this year will be his first time pitching on a major league mound since 2022, as he underwent Tommy John surgery shortly after being acquired from the Cubs at the 2022 trade deadline and then had his return to action further delayed by back surgery back in February. The sidearming righty has been very effective at the big league level when healthy enough to take the mound, with a 2.78 ERA and 2.63 FIP in 71 1/3 innings of work. He’ll join the bullpen alongside Marinaccio, who has a 2.53 ERA despite a 4.63 FIP in 21 1/3 innings of work this year.
Welcome back Tony Ritz
Pathetic! Cashman refuses to call up Dominguez as Yankees feel Verdugo and Grisham are adequate for remainder of the season! I pray in GOD’s name that they get knocked out in 1st round AND Soto bolts to the Mets to teach this organization a lesson and MAYBE fans, sponsors and whomever cancel their season tickets, drop advertising with revenue plummeting to finally get the attention of this pathetic owner that changes are needed.
How do you really feel Anthony? Agree or disagree everyone paying attention knew the Martian wasn’t coming up. The team is convinced Verdugo deserves to start. They told everyone all year the Martian isn’t coming up to be a 2 game per week player. We shall see if “they” change course in a week or two.
They are ruining ANOTHER prospect. When will they fire Boone & Cashman?
I don’t know how leaving him in Scranton is ruining him. I would like to see him in the Bronx playing every day though.
It’s RUINING his MORALE!
He damn well knows he’s an MLB-ready player, so how much do you imagine it pisses him off to see a piece of crap like Ellis get promoted ahead of him?!
Put yourself in his position. You’re up for a promotion that means more $$$ & more notoriety, and they instead promote an Incompetent piece of crap over YOU because they want You to get more seasoning.
YOU wouldn’t mind that at all right? BS!!!!!
“Ruining ANOTHER prospect”…Yeah, letting a guy do what he’s been doing his whole young life, play baseball, will certainly “ruin” him.
I’m going to have to agree with Mantle here, maybe not for all the reasons he said but Cashmans responsibility, at this point in the season, is put together the best possible roster for the post season. Where in that statement does Verdugo fit? It would be one thing if Verdugo was “trending in the right direction” but he’s been consistently bad. He isn’t a “spark plug” he isn’t a wizard with the glove. He’s just been bad and there is absolutely zero justification for him to start and have Dominguez in AAA. The ONLY thing I can think of is that Yankee scouts see some holes that ML pitchers will exploit and the Yankees doesn’t want the league to see too much of him until closer to playoff time.
The Yankees have bigger problems than Dominguez not being called up. No production out of 1b and SS. Jazz is no 3b. They have a shaky bullpen with a terrible closer. Cole is still knocking off rust. It’s a coin flip on what kind of outing Rodon and Stronan are going to have every five days.
The Yankees are in first place. I can tell you definitely call into the Kay show, your one of those guys they make fun of every week. You would think when you get humiliated every week with stupid takes you’d learn but guess not
Anyone remember “Jerome from Manhattan” on Joe Benigno’s WFAN radio show?
You’re an idiot.
This overreaction is going to look very funny when Dominguez is called up next week
Why would you think that they would be calling up Dominguez next week?
They’ll want to add Berti & probably another reliever, Ian Hamilton or Lou Trivino (if they’re healthy), so there may not be room for Dominguez. Also Clarke Schmidt will be (hopefully!) coming off the IL soon.
So, the latest promotions of crap, like Ellis, are just an example of the sort of Gross Incompetence on Cashman & Bonehead’s part that have kept this team from getting to a World Series, or even winning an AL Championship.
DJ should be placed on the IL; he’s virtually worthless at this point. Grisham is crap & should be DFA’d. Verdugo should be riding the pines, while Dominguez plays LF.
And God only knows if Rizzo is going hit & field well after 2 years of injuries & poor play. As I said elsewhere, the Yankees are acting like Rizzo is a savior at 1st, just like they acted like DJ was a savior at 3rd.
And how did DJ work out as a savior? ;-(
The answer to your question lies within your own ramblings. Ellis is another warm body until they bring Dominguez up. He is an easy DFA candidate when that time comes. Dominguez has already logged 35 big league at bats going back to last year. He can’t reach 130 big league at bats in the regular season if the Yankees want to keep his ROY eligibility for next year. Dominguez is being held down until the point where he can play every day in the big leagues without reaching that number. This isn’t hard to figure out
I can’t disagree. I do wish that Sherman and Heyman would look into why Cashman constantly disparages his number one prospect and keeps him down on the farm where he has nothing left to prove.
Is there a secret stat the Yanks use that show Verdugo and Grisham to be far more valuable than mere OPS, WAR or batting average indicate?
Because us fans — you know, the paying customers — remain puzzled by Cashman constantly chatting up Verdugo and Grisham on a club that has clinched nothing and has not proven they could get by Baltimore, Houston, Cleveland, Minnesota or Seattle in a playoff series.
Why carry Grisham & Ellis? Aren’t they the same player?
Assuming that they’re going to give Judge some more rest at DH and play Grisham in CF. Ellis won’t start nor get much ABs and will be strictly held to pinch-running and defensive-sub duties.
As bleacher creature says… Grisham can hit a bit, Ellis not at all. I’m not sure why Ellis is up but some tough decisions coming. Berti is almost ready but had no role with DJL still rostered.
It’s just as much about penny pinching and maximizing J Dom’s service time (maybe even draft pick chasing?) as it is defending Verdugo and his .232 avg and .653 ops- yikes.
But I agree with others here. Why is Cashman seemingly so pot committed to a one year, 11 mil signing? Just like in Boston, he’s faded horribly in the 2nd half. Very predictable outcomes, to all of us at least.
It’s about the feels and not about putting the best players on the field right now. Judge lobbied for the Verdugo trade. Releasing Verdugo, DJL, or Grisham would’ve been the optimal short-term move. Verdugo has experienced some bad luck with his batted balls but how long can they afford to wait for that to turn around?
Great points. Judge should have sway and a happy captain is likely a worthwhile intangible.
Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate a rangy lefty covering the huge power alley, but historically he seems to be following his script of fatigue or whatever causes the latter half splits drop off.
J Dom seems to have beneficial energy to contribute when clubs are getting into nitty gritty of a long season. I just wish the Yankees would prioritize the experience and energy over more consistent MiLB ABs and future payroll considerations.
Ellis is a good idea for pinch-running in the playoffs, not sure he is as good as Grisham in the field.
I agree, Ellis should definitely pinch run for Error in Judgement around the 3rd or 4th game when he finally gets on base for the first time.
Pinch runners are useless if everyone except Judge, Soto, Wells & sometimes Stanton can’t come through with clutch hits.
Besides, Stanton & Trevino are the only guys you’d want to pinch run for — and Trevino should NEVER start in the playoffs, although Moron Boone will certainly do that — so what good is a pinch runner, when our problem is a shortage of great hitters?
Besides #2, Dominate Dominguez can run & HIT, unlike Grisham & Ellis. Btw, Ellis can’t even hit AAA pitching, he hit .205 at AAA in a small sample size, which hardly inspires one to believe he could ever hit playoff-caliber pitching.
Imagine this scenario, you use Ellis to pinch run for Stanton in a tie game that remains tied into extra innings, and Ellis gets up in extra innings with the Yankees down by a run & two men on, and Ellis comes up in the 4th or 5th spot, after replacing Stanton.
That’s an almost inevitable outcome the way things have gone this year.
So, send Ellis back down,DFA god-awful Grisham, bench Verdugo, and play Dominguez every day.
WE NEED BATS, NOT PINCH RUNNERS WHO RARELY GET KNOCKED IN IN CLUTCH SITUATIONS!
I remember jeter talking about them calling him up during the stretch run in 95 and how impactful that was for his development. Why not bring Jasson up to be part of the club and contribute. Are those extra few at bats a day for a few weeks in the minors really going to help?
I think both Cashman & Boone sometimes don’t do what everyone else wants them to do just to prove that they know more than everyone else.
Except those two morons have never won an AL Championship, let alone a World Series.
Grisham has been a DISASTER at the plate & his much vaunted defense has been a HUGE disappointment as he’s twice dropped routine fly outs, once because he was too busy trying to look COOL, instead of catching the damn ball.
Dominguez is vastly superior to Grisham in every respect, so only a moron like Cashman would keep Grisham & call up Ellis, who is Nothing But a Pinch Runner.
It’s an indication of how Stupid Cashman & Boone are that they would think a Pinch Runner was more important than another bat. The Yankees problem has been an Inability to get Key Hits or get men on base for games on end. So, what good is a pinch runner if No One, other than Judge, Soto & Wells, are getting key hits consistently?
Also, it’s hysterical that people are acting like Rizzo is the answer at 1st. Rizzo wasn’t hitting BEFORE the injury, remember?
In fact, Rizzo hasn’t hit well for almost 2 years now because of injuries, so this is DJ’s BACK, WE’RE SAVED! all over again. Remember that Stupidity, too?
Watching the game today Soto is such a terrible defender. Numerous plays he botched out there in right field. It’s a rather small area to cover and he still can’t cover it. He’s clearly a great hitter but gosh he can’t play defense.
Soto is just protecting himself. Now approaching a mammoth payoff, the last thing he needs is to hustle himself into a collision with a solid wall and cost himself time and mioney.
The bullpen looks good today, if you’re wearing a Cardinals uniform.
We can’t beat crappy AAA teams like the White Sox & Nationals, and we can’t beat mediocre teams like the Cardinals, yet Brainless Brian Cashman thinks Ellis will help this team get over the top.?
Does anyone need more evidence of Cashman’s Utter Stupidity if head-case Gallo & Donaldson weren’t sufficient evidence for you? Or how about trading Monty for BADer? Cashman’s a Moron, as is Boone.
Cashman will not DFA a player with a contract as Hal does not like to pay a player who is not playing. Hal does not want to pay non players or coaches . They do not call him Cheapskate Hal for nothing.
“Cheapskate Hal”…Yeah, the guy with the $300M payroll and the history of spending big is a “cheapskate”. I guess you couldn’t think of anything insightful, accurate or illuminating to add. It’s pretty early in the morning to be drinking my friend.
Ma-chee-yev-ski