I’m not going to say that the cavalry has arrived, but Brian Cashman has done something to reinforce a battered Yankees’ 25-man roster. The historical amount of injuries the team has already shouldered got a little worse this morning with Clint Frazier hitting the shelf. In response, the Yankees acquired veteran outfielder Cameron Maybin, per Jack Curry. According to Jon Heyman, Cleveland received cash considerations.
Maybin, 32, has spent most of the spring with the Cleveland Triple-A affiliate, and has been a part of six organizations over the last two years, spending time with the Astros, Angels, Marlins, Mariners, Giants and Cleveland before being dealt to the Yankees.
The team has an open slot on the 25-man roster after optioning Jonathan Loaisiga to Scranton earlier today, and it appears that spot is now Maybin’s. It’s unclear at this point whether he’ll be able to join the team in time for tonight’s series finale against the Angels.
Maybin will bring some speed and defense to the Yankees’ outfield, but he hasn’t been a league-average hitter since 2016, and even the speed and defense have dropped off since he was 30, being worth just 1.7 fWAR over the past two years in 834 plate appearances, a 1.32 fWAR/650 pace.
Still, the team needs bodies and Maybin was available. He’s someone that can easily be moved off the roster when Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks or Frazier come back. Maybin really is a stopgap move, and one prompted by just a little bit of desperation.