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A week from Friday will be September 1st, meaning rosters will expand in preparation for the coming playoff push. As the 25-man roster becomes an even 40, the Yankees will have key reinforcements to help keep the team fresh. There are a few players who are obvious candidates for a call up, and each has their own reason for wanting to be up in the big leagues next month.
Those in need of redemption
A few of the players on the 40-man roster did not do so well during their time in the majors. A call up for them would be an opportunity to see some playing time and prove that they can still get the job done, even if they might not be appearing at the most crucial moments.
Jonathan Holder’s statistics look nice, but in context, he has been a major disappointment for the Yankees this year. A 24-year-old rookie could do a lot worse than a 3.58 ERA in 37.2 innings, however, he also allowed 11 inherited runners to score. That would be a 45% scoring rate, which puts him among the top 100 in the league.
Giovanny Gallegos meets this criteria after accumulating a disastrous 5.79 ERA in just 14 innings of work. He showed that he can strike out batters with a K-rate over nine, but he was far too hittable in his time up.
Those who want another shot
Some players on the 40-man roster have seen time in the majors but never stayed for long. These guys will merely provide depth, rather than get a chance to break out. Still, it’s better than nothing.
Miguel Andujar played in just one game for the Yankees this year before he was sent back down again. He made that one day count, though, by collecting three hits and four RBI in a blowout win over the White Sox. Andujar has been biding his time by hitting .320/.357/.508 with 15 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A.
On most other teams, he would already be on the active roster, but he has Chase Headley and Todd Frazier ahead of him. Don’t expect to see him get too much playing time in September, but he could be a useful right-handed bat off the bench.
Ben Heller has a 2.98 ERA and ludicrous 13.3 K/9 aT Triple-A, but he’s only pitched two innings in the majors this season. He’s going to want a chance to show he can be useful in some capacity.
Domingo German has had a terrific 2017 season with a 2.94 ERA in the minors. German compiled a 3.38 ERA over 10.2 innings with the Yankees before he was sent back down, but he definitely wants another chance to build on that early success.
Kyle Higashioka was a key piece of depth early in the season, but he has yet to get his fist big league hit. He’s spent much of the season on the disabled list, coming off the DL for one game before going back on again this week. If he can get healthy, he’s going to want that hit.
Those who are hoping to stick around
Some guys have had regular roles on the team throughout the year, but for whatever reason, their time looks to be coming to an end. These players want to make it back to the big leagues and be useful.
Clint Frazier was a big part of the offense in the time he spent with the big league club. Despite his success, he was going to lose his spot once Aaron Hicks and Jacoby Ellsbury were healthy at the same time. Frazier suffered an injury instead, so he’s probably hoping for a September call up to continue hitting in the majors.
Garrett Cooper was an unexpected addition to a team that was decimated by injury at first base. He actually hit really well in 13 games with the Yankees before going down with his own injury. Now Tyler Austin is up, but the return of Greg Bird could cost Cooper a roster spot.
After an impressive start to his major league career, Jordan Montgomery finally hit a wall and was optioned. The Yankees have been attempting to manage his innings, so he’s been up and down recently. If he does get a call up, hopefully he will be able to contribute in a meaningful way down the stretch.