The Yankees placed right-hander Jake Cousins on the 15-day injured list today, and called up righty Clayton Beeter from Triple-A to fill Cousins’ spot in the bullpen. Cousins’ placement is retroactive to September 20, which is the day after Cousins last pitched, and was pulled after facing two batters due to what was eventually diagnosed as a right pec strain.
The IL trip ends Cousins’ regular season, but potentially not his 2024 campaign as a whole, depending on his recovery and how far the Yankees might advance in the playoffs. As per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch (X link), Cousins will visit with doctors tomorrow in New York and he could potentially start throwing within a week’s time. Since the Yankees are on the verge of clinching the AL East and earning a first-round bye, that gives Cousins some extra time to heal up and get back to game fitness, provided that his strain isn’t too serious.
This is Cousins’ second IL stint of the season but his first on the Major League injured list, as he missed over two months of action when playing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barres earlier this year. The Yankees recalled Cousins back to the Show shortly after he returned from the Triple-A IL, and the results have been largely tremendous.
Cousins has a 2.37 ERA and a 34.2% strikeout rate over 38 relief innings for New York. While a .208 BABIP has helped paper over a subpar 12.9% walk rate, Cousins’ ability to miss bats and limit hard contact has made him a very useful member of the Yankees relief corps.
It has essentially been a return to the form Cousins showed with the Brewers in 2021-22, before a UCL injury and shoulder problems cut short his 2022 season and perhaps contributed to a 2023 season that saw him toss only 9 1/3 MLB innings. After going to the Astros on a waiver claim last summer and then to the White Sox on a minor league deal during the offseason, Cousins was traded from Chicago to New York just after Opening Day, sparking Cousins’ career revival.
While Cousins had a successful return from an injury-plagued stretch of his career, the same unfortunately can’t be said of Lou Trivino, whose 2024 season now looks to be over. Yankees manager Aaron Boone told Hoch (X link) and other reporters that Trivino is dealing with “shoulder stuff” and has been shut down. Trivino will finish his season with 11 minor league innings pitched, in the form of five innings in as many appearances with Double-A Somerset and then six innings in six appearances at the Triple-A level.
Trivino hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2022, as he missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2023. Some elbow inflammation delayed the start of his minor league rehab assignment until this past August, and now this shoulder issue has ended any chance Trivino had of getting any sort of MLB action under his belt before the regular season was over.
The Yankees chose to non-tender Trivino last November, but then re-signed him to a guaranteed Major League contract worth $1.5MM in 2024 with a $5MM club option for 2025. That option seems like a lock to be declined, though it is possible New York again re-signs Trivino at a lower price tag.
In other injury news out of the Bronx, Boone told reporters yesterday that DJ LeMahieu has started to hit off a tee as he continues his recovery from a hip impingement. LeMahieu isn’t expected to return before the regular season is over, but he could potentially be a roster option for the postseason depending on his health or New York’s roster needs. LeMahieu has been out since the start of September with his hip injury and also missed the first two months of the season with a foot issue — in between, the veteran infielder struggled to a .204/.269/.259 slash line over 228 plate appearances.
He’s put together a decent career but LeMahieu needs to retire at this point. After seeing him struggle (severely) at the plate and watching him have trouble making routine plays in the field I don’t think it would be wise for them to put him on the postseason roster.
I agree he shouldn’t be put on the post season roster but he’d be leaving $30 million on the table if he retires. I expect next year he’ll be given every opportunity to rebound but get DFA’d around the trade deadline if he isn’t at least serviceable.
Remember when Aaron Boone said he “earned the right” to be out there when asked about his declining ability?
Then you look at Houston who cut ties with Abreu when it was clear that he was done. They just ate the money despite not being the most valuable MLB franchise (like NY).
Yeah. I wish they would just cut him loose but you know how they are.
That $30 million is why DJ — and not the useful and healthy-again Jon Berti — will be on the post season roster.
Berti is the kind of player you definitely want on the bench in the postseason. Speed and defense when needed.
DJ will not be on the postseason roster.
@Craven, yes. That’s why Berti will be there. They don’t have to worry about LeMahieu’s feelings. He’s being paid, he knows he’s been bad, and he’ll get a chance to prove he isn’t cooked next year, but I don’t think he’ll survive on the roster until the end of the season. Remember, the Yankees wanted to sign LeMahieu to a four-year contract, but they stretched it to six years to lower the AAV. He’s entering year five, which means these are the “annuity” years. They’ll cut him if he doesn’t bounce back.
Not a chance in hell does DJ get past Spring Training if he continues to stink it up. If they ate Hicks 3/30 and Arods 2/42 they will easily he another 2/30!
No way does he leave the money behind that he earned. It’s up to the Yankees to give him his walking papers.
What a very strange thing to say
DJ doesn’t set a very high bar to clear.
Classic idiotic move by the White Sox to let Cousins go as he did.
DJ had a 51 OPS+ this year and STILL well outdated Anderson’s atrocious 27 mark.
The only name that matters here for the rest of 2024 is Cousins. Hopefully returns for the postseason.
Weaver, Kahnle, and Cousins.
How come Beeter and not Poteet??? (I just like to say Poteet.)
“Weaver, Kahnle and Cousins”…Kahnle has got one of the better changeups that I’ve ever seen. He throws it a lot and batters know it’s coming, but they just can’t seem to time it up or hit it with any authority.
It generates a ton of vertical movement and swing and misses. Kahnle has thrown his changeup on 73% of his pitches which is unheard of.
Easy peasy, you just sit changeup. If he thows it 73% of the time, just sit changeup. Man I should be a batting coach. Not rocket science right ?
The Montas/Trevino trade along with the Gallo one goes as two of the worst in the Cashman era. Berti is definitely on the roster for post season. DJL thanks for the memories but it’s time to say good bye. I was hoping Pottet would be back and replace Holmes. Holmes is the BP weakest link. The Yankees have slowly started playing better and hopefully that means good things to come for the next month.
Mark Leiter is the most questionable reliever. Your personal biases for and against some Yankees’ players continues to not make sense to me. Holmes is fine as a non- high-leverage reliever for now.
DJ can’t hit anymore, can’t field anymore and runs like Stanton. Thanks for the memories, but it’s time to hang it up.
Tbh I think DJ is running like Adam Dunn at this point.